Manfred Weber, the German EU lawmaker who heads the European People’s Party , dismissed suggestions that his bloc could drop its refusal to cooperate with Alternative for Germany at the state and federal level in the coming years amid growing support for the far-right party.Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Calgary Herald, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Weber, who is also co-leader of the conservative Christian Social Union at the national level, warned that the far right’s plans to dismantle the European Union would hurt Germany’s economy and security. Asked whether the EPP’s outreach to Italian post-fascist leader Giorgia Meloni undermined the conservatives’ stance toward the far right, Weber said it was important to work with all European governments to tackle the challenge of migration.
“We need Italy as well,” he said, adding that fears about unrestricted migration would benefit Alternative for Germany. “We are currently working with Italy to implement a migration agreement with Tunisia. This will reduce the arrivals to the EU.” Two lawmakers with the Christian Social Union raised eyebrows in Germany this week by voting with Alternative for Germany in the national legislature for the first time. Both later claimed the votes had been in error.