EPP Won't Cooperate With Eurosceptics in EU Parl't - Group Leader Weber

07:51 GMT, 27 May 2019

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - The European People's Party (EPP), which is likely to remain the largest political faction in the European Parliament as a result of last week's elections, has no intention of working together with any groups that have no faith in the EU, Manfred Weber, the leader of the EPP in the the European Parliament, said.

Sputnik

"For me, as lead candidate of the EPP [for the post of the head of the European Commission], one thing, one message is crystal clear: we will not work together with those who do not believe in Europe, with those who want to destroy Europe. The Europe of today is our Europe, it is Europe of EPP… and we will defend this Europe against the nationalists", Weber said at a press conference late on Sunday.

Traditionalists Secure Majority in EU Parliament, Face Right-Wing Competition

27 May 2019, 02:57 GMT

Two eurosceptic factions — Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy, and Europe of Nations and Freedom — are securing a total of 114 seats in parliament, which is slightly less than they were projected to win in the polls.

The elections to the 751-seat parliamentary institution were held across EU member states from May 23-26. According to preliminary results, the EPP is securing 179 seats, while the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is winning 150 mandates. As things stand, the two factions will not be able to form a majority coalition, which requires at least 376 mandates.