The European People’s Party (EPP), whose group is the largest in the European Parliament, has created a working group to prepare for the 2029 elections. The “Win2029” group should develop a political platform with which the party can win back voters attracted by far-right and anti-European formations. The initiative was reported by Politico, citing internal minutes of meetings and conversations with EPP members.
The initiative was launched by EPP President Manfred Weber, and the working group will be led by Spanish MEP Esteban González Pons. The first discussions are planned for October at a party meeting in Sicily. The work is to continue until the EPP congress in Rome in spring 2027, when the basis of the election program is expected to be shaped.
The dispute is whether to move the party to the right
The internal debate is about the choice between maintaining the center-right course and moving closer to positions traditionally associated with right-wing populist parties. “This is a historical dilemma that the EPP must resolve: are we centre-right or just another right-wing party?“, said Finnish MEP Sirpa Pietikainen, quoted by Politico.
EPP Vice-President Siegfried Mureşan defines the future political rivalry as a fight between the EPP and “anti-European populists“. The group's representative Pedro López de Pablo states that the formations that are not in power can promise anything to the voters, so the EPP must offer its own solutions.
Differences over cooperation with the far right remain
There are differences within the party over possible governance or political cooperation with far-right forces. Representatives of Poland and Romania are against such a rapprochement. In Spain, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands, conservative parties have already participated in governments together with such formations.
The most sensitive issue is in Germany, where some politicians have begun to discuss abandoning the previous isolation of the “Alternative for Germany“ (AfD). However, most German EPP representatives in the European Parliament continue to oppose cooperation with the party.
At the same time, the EPP has tightened its positions on migration, deportations and environmental requirements. At a party meeting in Vienna, delegates replaced the expression “irregular migration“ with “illegal migration“ - a formulation that Politico associates with the language of the far right.
Sources: Politico