Weber is losing ground

The conservative Spitzenkandidat Manfred Weber has little chance of becoming head of the EU Commission. Now that several EU countries have taken a stand against him, the Social Democrats want to completely disembark him.

A week before the start of the European elections, Social Democrat faction leader Udo Bullmann has hinted at a potentially decisive tactical shift that could minimise Weber’s chances of gaining a majority in the European Parliament.

After the SPD politician had previously vehemently spoken out against France’s head of state Emmanuel Macron and his “neoliberal and antisocial” policies, Bullmann now no longer wants to rule out a “progressive alliance” with Macron and the liberals.

“Macron is not a socialist, but why shouldn’t we talk to him,” said Bullmann, who is also the SPD’s top candidate for the European elections in Germany.

The crucial question is “whether Macron is in a position to keep his promise for a progressive policy”. In this case, Bullmann said, there could be a “progressive alliance” after the European elections including the Liberals.

The Social Democrats are competing across Europe with the Dutchman Frans Timmermans. Since they are far behind the conservative German top candidate Manfred Weber in the polls, they have hardly been given a chance to win the elections so far.

However, Weber can only hope for a majority in the new European Parliament if he pulls the Social Democrats and a third group – probably the Liberals or the Greens – on his side.

The Liberals, however, have increasingly moved away from Weber. Recently Macron even declared that he wanted to break the supremacy of the conservative European People’s Party in the EU and provide a breath of fresh air with a new liberal movement.

This is exactly what the Social Democrats are apparently betting on. If they succeed in joining forces with Macron’s “new” liberals, the Greens and the Left, they could eventually gain their own majority to the left of the centre – and Weber would be booted out.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator. You might also like “Are you serious, Mr. Weber?”