A report alleging secret arrangements between members of the European People’s Party (EPP) and right‑wing factions in the European Parliament has intensified pressure on the EU.
Dirk Wiese, the first parliamentary manager of Germany’s SPD Bundestag group, told “Handelsblatt” that an immediate and comprehensive investigation is needed to determine whether a structured collaboration actually exists between the EPP and the far‑right factions. He singled out Manfred Weber, the EPP group leader from the CSU, demanding that Weber “must honestly address this matter right away”. Wiese accused Weber of offering a “cheap trick” to shift attention away from himself by placing responsibility on staff levels, insisting that the group chair must enforce clear “red lines” for his party and its employees.
Irene Mihalic, the first parliamentary manager of the Green Bundestag group, also called for clarification. She noted that CDU and CSU leaders Friedrich Merz and Markus Söder had promised that no cooperation would exist between the CDU/CSU and the AfD. Mihalic said that if WhatsApp chat transcripts now indicate the opposite, the top CDU and CSU leaders must reaffirm that their pledge still stands. The chats allegedly reveal that joint voting between Christian Democrats and far‑right parties was “not a coincidence but was prepared and agreed upon”.
In response to the accusations of close collaboration between the EPP and right‑wing factions, Alexander Hoffmann, the CSU state‑group chief, defended the EPP. He said that the EPP had indeed worked with right‑wing representatives in the European Parliament, noting that Weber had indirectly admitted cooperation. In an interview with “Tagesschau”, Hoffmann stated that the EPP does not seek such collaboration but requires a “solution on the issue”.
Hoffmann emphasized that there will be no cooperation between the EU and the AfD because the AfD – a declared aim of the opposition – seeks to destroy the Union. He added that the Union’s policy should render the AfD unnecessary, particularly in light of the migration pivot. He warned that politics often “only does its own thing” stressing the need to address questions that matter to citizens, with migration being a key topic. Weber had pointed out that the SPD is very inflexible at the European level. Hoffmann contrasted this with the federal SPD, expressing gratitude for the party’s clear stance on “Return Hubs”.
The alleged collaboration between the EPP and right‑wing parties, according to the report, involved the deportation of asylum seekers to so‑called “Return Hubs” located in non‑EU countries.
