“Check against delivery”
Dear Manfred,
Dear EPP family,
It is wonderful to be here today. Alberto Feijóo, thank you for your hospitality. You have organized this fantastic Congress at an important time.
Regarding yesterdays events: citizens in Spain, Portugal, and parts of France faced an unprecedented power outage. I commend their calm and solidarity during this challenge. Thanks to the police, firefighters, and traffic controllers for their dedication.
This EPP Congress is a reunion of friends. My friend Manfred, your leadership is outstanding. Last year, it was an honor to campaign together. We achieved much: a major victory in the European elections and a strong EPP in the European Parliament and Commission. Manfred, you have made the EPP strong, which means a strong Europe. You have my full support for another term as EPP President.
Thank you for choosing Dolors Montserrat as Secretary-General candidate. Dolors, your passion is inspiring. You are an excellent choice as our partys first female Secretary-General. Other parties talk about gender balance, we deliver it.
Dear friends,
More than a year ago, I stood before you in Bucharest to ask for your support. Europe is more than a market, more than institutions. It is our home, and our mission is to protect it. We promise prosperity, security, and democracy to the people of Europe. From Donald Tusk in Poland to Friedrich Merz in Germany, EPP leadership means responsibility, and we will deliver.
Our victory last year is thanks to all of you. Election day is the beginning, not the end. Free trade has brought prosperity, but now markets are disrupted by unpredictable US tariffs. This brings uncertainty and bureaucracy. We must adhere to open markets and fair trade.
In every crisis lies an opportunity. Our single market is the largest and most open in the world. We have a vast network of trade agreements, and the world wants to work with us. Let us adhere to the European way of trade.
Our prosperity depends on a well-functioning single market. National barriers must be removed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship. A digital start-up must be able to grow without facing 270 different rules in Europe. By removing trade barriers, we can increase our GDP by 10%. Let us break the chains and unleash European innovation.
This is the moment to defend our values. Europe is open to the best and brightest minds. We want scientists and researchers to choose Europe as their home and let innovation thrive here.
Dear friends,
We must continue to deliver what matters to Europeans. Food security is crucial, and we must value our farmers for their work. They deserve a fair income and less administrative burden.
Migration is a common European challenge. We must control illegal arrivals and implement the Migration Pact. It is important that migration occurs at our pace. We must return illegal migrants to make room for much-needed labor migration.
Security in Europe also means more responsibility for our own defense. The threat from Russia remains, and we must strengthen our defense capacity. We have already achieved much, with investments and new partnerships. The EPP is delivering the European defense union.
The dream of De Gasperi, Schuman, and Adenauer is becoming reality. Only a strong Europe can protect peace. The fringes opposing this European awakening are wrong. Only a strong Europe can protect peace on our continent.
We have seen how Putin negotiates. Only strong deterrence can guarantee peace. We must support Ukraine and provide a path to EU membership. Our message is clear: Your freedom is our freedom.
Dear friends,
The EPP stands for a democratic Europe, where people decide their future. This has been our light since our founding in 1976. A Europe of free people, that is our goal.
Long live the European Peoples Party. And long live Europe.