Before the CSU party conference, deputy leader Manfred Weber caused a stir. His advice to stay in conversation with the Greens is met with resistance.
Augsburg – nuances before the CSU party conference on Friday and Saturday: Deputy leader Manfred Weber is offended by the advice to continue to be willing to talk to the Greens. We spoke in detail about this and the key themes for the next few months with the Lower Bavarian (52), head of the bourgeois EPP party in Brussels. He is planning a quicker end to the end of the combustion engine and wants to give Europe its own authority to deport them. The interview was conducted by Christian Deutschländer.
Interview with Manfred Weber before the CSU party conference
In the Black-Green dispute, Söder scoffs that you only represent a “minor opinion”. Mr. Weber, do you feel dwarfed?
We have absolute consensus in the CSU: no state can be created with these Greens. Nevertheless, my emphasis is: Democrats must always be ready to talk. I have held this position for a long time. Everyone knows: I am a bridge builder, I don’t like living in a divided society.
Are you more worried about an SPD with a left-wing twist?
The coalition talks will be difficult anyway. I would like to remind you: The new SPD general secretary was the main author of the heating law in his group and wants to abolish higher taxes and the debt brake. And one thing is clear: there will be a powerful political change in Berlin not with coalition debates, but only with a strong, ambitious CDU and CSU. We proved in the European elections in June how we can keep the Greens small. After my European election campaign – tough arguments on the matter, but not a culture war – the Greens had their worst result in five years.
Merkur commentary: The CSU and its green dilemma
Everyone is talking about black and green. But who has the guts in the Union to form alliances with him? BSW not recommended in the East?
Markus Söder will certainly make this clear in his speech on Friday: The real opponents for us are the AfD and BSW – anti-Europeans, Putin friends, threats to our prosperity. What I also hope for in the federal election campaign is that we take tougher action against the Free Voters. Every vote for them weakens the center. In Bavaria we have an economics minister, Aiwanger, who completely disappeared during the biggest crisis in our auto industry. We have to look for a confrontation there too.
CSU Vice Manfred Weber on migration
Migration remains a key political issue. What has to happen in Brussels to achieve the announced change?
The migration transition is a reality in Brussels. A year ago I was in Tunisia – with the President – and spoke to Giorgia Meloni in Italy, and we then initiated an EU-Tunisia agreement. Result: The number of arrivals on this route fell by 64 percent in the first half of the year. This is what sets us apart as a Union: act, not just talk. The next EU summit is on Wednesday, so I expect the next steps from the heads of state and government
Which?
Build Frontex to 30,000 officers. Implement the migration pact immediately, with camps and rapid checks at Europe’s external borders. We need a Mediterranean pact and more safe third countries. And: Europe must pay more attention to robust returns. I expect a crystal-clear regulation on repatriation in the new Commission’s 100-day program. The migration transition must therefore receive more pressure.
Should Europe specifically take care of deportations?
I would like us to make it immediately clear across Europe that criminals and Islamist threats will not be tolerated anywhere and will be automatically deported. We want an open Europe. But anyone who abuses our right to hospitality will be repatriated, without long debates in the individual member states.
The federal government is negotiating its repatriation agreements very slowly. Should Europe take ownership of this?
Yes, the European Union must step up its game on the issue of return agreements. Together we can act much more powerfully against third countries so that they take back their citizens. Anyone who doesn’t cooperate with us on migration must feel it – in market access, in development aid and in issuing visas. We need more oomph here.
What CSU Vice Manfred Weber says about the end of combustion engines
Do you also expect a quicker turnaround in the phasing out of combustion engines in the 100-day program?
The headline is clear: more pragmatism. Incidentally, this was already implemented in the first days after Ursula von der Leyen’s election on two issues that are important for Bavaria: wolf hunting and postponing the deforestation directive. The CSU delivers in the EU. We must now continue this approach to one of the most important issues and strengthen our auto industry. I will be organizing an EPP summit with the European car CEOs in Brussels in the next few weeks.
Rescue program for the combustion engine?
This is one of the important topics. The industry needs planning security and a fast, completely technology-open solution for the drives. That will come.
Should the EU stop fines for the car industry because fleet limits are exceeded? Is that even possible?
Nobody wants the fines. We are in a time in which many thousands of employees, especially at VW and suppliers, fear for their jobs. At a time like this, we cannot take away liquidity from companies. We will have to discuss these fines intensively in the next few weeks. I still hope that the industry – BMW is leading the way – sells enough hybrid and electric models to comply with the limits.
Germany could be heading for new elections in March. From the EU perspective: Wouldn’t you rather have a traffic light that somehow governs than election campaign chaos?
No. Europe urgently needs a better government in Berlin. War on our doorstep, economic crisis, climate problems – and leadership comes neither from Berlin nor Paris. We need the Merz government as quickly as possible.
But your place remains in Brussels?
I can be the party and parliamentary group leader of the largest party in Europe. This gives me enormous joy and I have a lot planned for the next five years.
#opponents #AfD #BSW