Proposals in Zagreb for a stronger EU

2026-01-31 08:40:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

EPP leader Manfred Weber is calling for a more effective EU at the European People's Party meeting in Zagreb. But Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed skepticism about the feasibility of his proposals.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed skepticism about the feasibility of proposals for far-reaching EU reforms put forward by EPP leader Manfred Weber. Opening an EPP summit in Zagreb, Croatia, the CDU leader said: "Achieving treaty changes in this 27-member European Union is a very difficult task." Merz said he would focus first on tasks that are "currently on the table," including "defensive capabilities and competitiveness."

In Zagreb, leading politicians from the EU's conservative party family, the European People's Party (EPP), are discussing Europe's role in a new world order in which the great powers play a dominant role. In addition to Merz, other heads of government such as Donald Tusk (Poland) and Kyriakos Mitsotakis (Greece) are also taking part.

Weber wants to make the EU more effective

EPP leader and CSU vice-chairman Weber said before the meeting that he wanted to discuss his reform proposals with the EPP leadership. "We are in dialogue, we are talking to each other." He is mainly concerned about three points that should lead to a stronger EU in the world.

First: After the next European elections in 2029, the office of Commission President (currently Ursula von der Leyen) should be merged with that of Council President (António Costa). This would allow Europe to speak with one voice.

Second: Weber supports a European army. This army should also be deployed in Ukraine after a peace agreement. Speaking to Der Spiegel magazine, Weber said: "And if peace is to come to Ukraine, we should station joint European peacekeeping forces there, as the nucleus for a European army."

Third: Regarding the principle of unanimity in foreign policy matters, Weber wants to allow a smaller group of states to cooperate more closely in foreign policy through a "sovereignty treaty". Within this group, the principle of unanimity would not apply. Chancellor Merz also supports the idea of ??majority decisions in foreign policy, this has now been almost completely abandoned in relation to the internal market. "The qualified majority principle applies practically everywhere there," said Merz.

In his government statement to the Bundestag on Thursday (January 29), Merz called for Europe to assert itself as an independent power in a new world order of great powers through unity and self-confidence. Europe must learn to speak the "language of power politics."/ |DW