German politician becomes top EU contender
Europe’s largest political party nominated Manfred Weber on Thursday as its candidate for European Commission president, to replace Jean-Claude Juncker.
The German leader of the European People’s Party (EPP), seen as the embodiment of European-style coalition politics and conservative values, triumphed over former Finnish prime minister Alexander Stubb.
Mr Weber received the endorsement of all the EPP’s heads of national parties, including that of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“The campaign starts here in Helsinki,” he said. “We are bridge-builders, let’s use this momentum. Then we will win in May 2019.”
He won 492 votes, 79 per cent of ballots cast, according to EPP President Joseph Daul, at a two-day party congress in Helsinki.
The EPP is projected to retain control of the EU’s most influential job after the European Parliament elections in May, but could lose a fifth of its seats, according to polls.
Mr Weber, 46, a civil engineer who still lives in his Bavarian home town, Wildenberg, is new to the corridors of power in Brussels. Alongside being vice president of the Christian Social Union – the Bavarian sister party and coalition partner of Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union – Mr Weber has been chairman of the EPP group since 2014.
But he turned his thin experience as an EU operator into his best credential. “Today’s European Union is not connected to the people,” he said when he announced his candidacy. “I want to re-establish the bond between the citizens and the European Union.”
The two candidates produced very different campaign videos. Mr Weber, a more conservative character, talked about security and the need to protect the “European way of life” on a stroll in his home town.
“Europe was always my passion, but frankly coming home is really what makes me happy,” he says.
Mr Stubb, 50, was seen as more media-savvy and more progressive. His slogan promised “the next generation of Europe” and his Twitter page had a photo of him showing off his biceps.
The European Council will propose a candidate for Commission president and the Parliament will then decide whether to elect them.