The executive board of the CDU has today announced Ursula von der Leyen's candidacy for the next European elections. Henrike Hahn, German Member of the European Parliament (The Greens/EFA), industrial policy speaker and deputy spokesperson of the German Greens in the European Parliament, comments on Ursula von der Leyen's candidacy for a second term as European Commission President:

„On the occasion of the European elections, the EPP group, including the CDU and CSU, will have to clearly answer the question of whether it will base its political power on cooperation with authoritarian forces in the future, that threaten democracy, the EU as an institution, climate and environmental protection and ultimately also a competitive and sustainable economy in Europe.

For us Greens, a very central issue will be whether Ursula von der Leyen intends to continue to stand behind the Green Deal to work on it despite the potentially increased pressure coming from a rising far right. Voters need clarity if Ursula von der Leyen wants to base her majority on conservative and far-right forces that have used this legislation to attempt above all to attack and slow down the Green Deal.

The European elections will be a guiding decision on key questions that need to be answered: the climate-neutral competitiveness of our economy, urgent investments in our social infrastructure and the fight against enemies of democracy and the rule of law in Europe require clear values and conviction without party tactical manoeuvring.”

 

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