The head of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) Manfred Weber tried to reconcile his opposition to an EU ban on combustion engines with the support of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who did not take part in the first EU election debate on Thursday, Euractiv reports.
Weber took part in the debate, organised by broadcaster ZDF, as the leading candidate of his national party, the Bavarian regional party CSU (EPP), along with seven other German leading candidates. Participants discussed three topics, including foreign policy and migration, with the debate around climate policy being the most controversial.
The CSU and its national sister party, the Christian Democrats (CDU/ENP), who are leading in the polls, are notably in favour of lifting the EU’s de facto ban on the sale of cars with internal combustion engines from 2035.
This policy was adopted under von der Leyen, the leading candidate of the EPP and CDU. Weber reiterated, alluding to Germany’s strong car industry:
“If we have the majorities in the next European Parliament, we will permit combustion-engine cars again. [The ban] was a serious industrial policy mistake.”
Nevertheless, he insisted that his party was a “Green Deal party with Ursula von der Leyen at the helm.” He also added:
“But we still don’t swallow everything that is presented to us.”
Conflict between climate policy and competitiveness
Other participants did not fail to point out the contradictions. Terry Reintke of the Green Party pleaded with Weber to “break down the conflict between climate policy and competitiveness” while accusing him of “stabbing his own Commission chair in the back.” Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, lead candidate of the liberal FDP (Renew), referencing the EPP’s mixed environmental voting record, noted:
“I would recommend that Ms. von der Leyen change parties. I think she would be better off with the Greens.”
In a particularly heated episode, Weber spoke for 40 seconds over leading SPD (S&D) candidate Katarina Barley and the presenters, berating the far-right AfD for its “green” policies, while Barley only sighed repeatedly, “Men…”
Von der Leyen’s absence is “deeply undemocratic”
However, von der Leyen abstained from participating, despite being the official leading CDU candidate. The Commission President also declined to run for parliament and will not appear on the ballot papers, which Strack-Zimmermann called “deeply undemocratic” during the debate. She said:
“While we are campaigning, von der Leyen is touring Europe to collect [EU leaders’] votes.”
The emotional debate over the “ban on internal combustion engines” also appeared somewhat detached as poll results released on Thursday showed peace and social security as the most important issues in the German election.
Those topics will determine the choice of nearly half of voters, while climate protection and economic growth are of interest to only 14 per cent and 13 per cent respectively, according to predictions.
MPs also touched upon the topic of the Ukrainian military conflict during the debate, but security policy remains outside the strict purview of the EU, a point that came up prominently in the exchange. Answering how he would deal with the slow pace of arms deliveries, Weber said:
“[Instating] European competencies in this area.”
