The European People’s Party (EPP), the largest political group in the European Parliament, has staunchly defended its recent voting record on the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, dismissing accusations of undue influence from far-right factions. EPP leader Manfred Weber, speaking to ZDF’s “Heute Journal” asserted the existence of a “firewall” preventing the group from collaborating with populist movements.
Weber’s comments were a direct response to criticism suggesting the EPP had conceded ground to the right in order to secure passage of the legislation, which aims to hold companies accountable for human rights abuses and environmental damage in their supply chains. The law has been contentious, with some on the right opposing its stringent requirements.
“The fact is: the firewall stands” Weber insisted. He argued that the EPP has consistently avoided empowering right-wing populists, prohibiting them from assuming official positions or influencing parliamentary functions.
Weber specifically addressed the role of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right party in the German Bundestag and represented within the European Parliament. He unequivocally stated the AfD’s “irrelevant” role in securing the recent vote, emphasizing that their support was neither numerically necessary nor indicative of a dependency on their political agenda.
However, critics remain skeptical, questioning the transparency of internal negotiations and whether the EPP’s claims of maintaining a firm distance from the right ring entirely true. While the EPP’s leadership publicly downplays any reliance on far-right parties, the compromises necessary to navigate complex legislative landscapes often require delicate maneuvering, raising questions about the limits of its stated principles and the extent to which ideological lines are blurred in the pursuit of political consensus. The optics of the vote and the EPP’s continued defense of it, are currently under intense scrutiny, potentially impacting the perception of the group’s commitment to democratic values and its ability to effectively counter the rise of right-wing extremism within the European political arena.
