After reports surfaced that members of the Christian‑Democratic European Parliament group had coordinated with right‑wing factions in a chat room and in meetings with individual representatives, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that the responsibility lies with the EVP (European People’s Party) faction chairman, Manfred Weber.
Merz was quick to deny any cooperation with far‑right lawmakers in the European Parliament, emphasizing that all decisions can be made with the majority that excludes the so‑called “Sovereignists”, i.e. the German AfD members. “We do not work with the far‑right in the European Parliament” he said on Monday. “All the decisions that need to be taken have a majority without them, and the EVP leader knows we do not want that collaboration”.
He also confirmed that he and CSU leader Markus Söder share a view that the alleged actions, which apparently took place at an “employee level”, are unacceptable. “We expect this will be stopped and that it may have consequences” Merz said. “Manfred Weber now bears the responsibility for that”.
In early March, members of the EVP group, together with representatives from right‑wing factions, voted in the relevant committee on a proposal to send rejected asylum seekers to detention centres outside the European Union.
