European People’s Party: A more coherent group?

Euros du Village have interviewed one of the French top candidates in the European Parliament elections, Dominique Baudis: « Le depart des tories permettra au PPE d’être plus coherent ».




The departure of the British Conservatives will allow the European People’s Party (EPP) to be more coherent. It is necessary that the EPP consists of parties in favour of a strong European Union. The EPP has played a major role in the construction of Europe, and it can stay more faithful to its legacy, says Baudis:


« Le départ des conservateurs britanniques va surtout permettre au PPE d’avoir une attitude plus cohérente. Il est nécessaire que le PPE soit composé de partis politiques favorables à une UE forte. Le PPE a, dans son histoire, toujours exercé un rôle majeur dans la construction de l’Union Européenne. Le départ des tories permettra donc au PPE d’être plus cohérent et plus fidèle à son histoire. De plus, malgré ce départ, il reste en mesure d’être le groupe parlementaire le plus important au Parlement Européen. »


At the national level, Dominique Baudis represents the party of France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy (UPM).

Earlier German Chancellor Angela Merkel has excluded warm relationships with those who reject the Treaty of Lisbon, but want to promote EU enlargement.


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Ahead of the European elections, David Cameron and the UK Conservative Party ride on waves of anti-European and Euroskeptic feeling as well as indifference to Britain’s position in Europe. But for a future government indifference and contempt towards France, Germany and other EU members is a sure-fire recipe for How to lose friends and influence.

In the United Kingdom, a vote for the Conservatives is a vote for increasing isolation. The Liberal Democrats, the Greens and Labour offer better prospects for constructive engagement in Europe.



Ralf Grahn