About: EPP
Borissov takes pride in crushing Bulgaria’s passport-for-bribes scam
The passports-for-bribes scam may look like an embarrassment for Bulgaria, but Prime Minister Boyko Borissov turned it around on Thursday (13 December), saying he had received compliments for the way Bulgarian law enforcement had put an end to the practice.
Socialists entrust Timmermans to replace Juncker at EU helm
Europe’s socialist parties on Saturday (8 December) chose Dutch politician Frans Timmermans to lead them in May elections and to succeed his boss Jean-Claude Juncker as head of the European Commission. Delegates voted in Timmermans, currently first vice president of the EU’s powerful...
Hungarian opposition denounces Gruevski’s case ‘disgrace’
The leaders of three opposition parties represented in the Hungarian parliament published on Sunday (2 December) an open letter in which they call a “disgrace” the granting by Viktor Orbán of asylum to former Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.
Macedonia moves closer towards name change
Macedonia's lawmakers moved closer on Sunday (2 December) to rename the country and remove a key hurdle on the road to breaking a decades-long stalemate with Greece.
Poll: Bulgarian centre-right GERB party to get 37% of votes in EU elections
In the upcoming elections for the European Parliament next May, Bulgaria's conservative ruling party GERB could receive almost 40% of the votes, followed closely by the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, according to a poll of voting intentions. EURACTIV’s media partner Dnevnik reports.
Hungary persists in row with Soros-founded university
Just days from a deadline to settle a legal dispute with a university founded by US billionaire George Soros, Hungary's foreign minister indicated Wednesday (28 November) his government will not back down.
Deputy PM, minister and MEP named in Bulgaria’s cash-for-passport scam
EXCLUSIVE: A deputy prime minister, a minister and a Bulgarian MEP are allegedly responsible for illegally selling Bulgarian passports to foreigners, according to claims made by a whistleblower who provided a bundle of documents that appeared to confirm the accusation.
Praised over Brexit, Barnier in orbit of EU’s top job
European Union leaders lavished their Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier with praise on Sunday (25 November) for securing a divorce agreement with the United Kingdom, strengthening the Frenchman's hand should the stars align for him to run for Commission president.
Macedonia’s ex-PM fled in Hungarian diplomatic car
Former Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, who fled the country to avoid prison, used a Hungarian diplomatic vehicle to escape through Albania, police in Tirana said on Thursday (15 November) after Budapest formally denied any involvement.
Wanted former Macedonian PM seeking asylum in Hungary
Macedonia's former prime minister Nikola Gruevski, who has been sentenced to jail for abuse of power, said on Tuesday (13 November) he was in Hungary where he has requested political asylum.
Spitzenkandidat picks: Manfred Weber, EPP
With no real debating at the big debate, the EPP's Helsinki Congress picked their Spitzenkandidat contender for the European elections. EURACTIV takes a closer look at the party's new old face, Manfred Weber.
Bulgarian president sees democracy ‘under threat’
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev issued a stinging critique of the government's record on corruption and press freedom Friday (9 November), saying "the foundations of democracy are being threatened to a critical degree".
Weber wins EPP Spitzenkandidat in landslide victory
German Manfred Weber was crowned Spitzenkandidat of the EPP, the European Parliament's largest party, on Thursday (8 November), after he swept to victory in a contest that saw ex-Finnish Prime minister Alexander Stubb win only 20% of the votes.
EPP warns Orbán, but Fidesz still influences the line
The European People's Party handed an implicit reprimand to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party in a special resolution voted on Wednesday (7 November) but took no formal action.
Syriza in quest to unite progressive forces ahead of EU elections
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his close ally, senior Syriza MEP Dimitris Papadimoulis, are launching a number of initiatives to build bridges among Europe's fragmented progressive political forces and create a broad alliance ahead of the EU elections.
Stubb v. Weber: Around Helsinki’s ‘fireside’, no one got burnt
The EPP's two lead candidates for the Presidency of the European Commission, MEP Manfred Weber and Ex-Finnish PM Alexander Stubb, went head-to-head on Wednesday evening (7 October), in a bid to secure support for Thursday's (8 November) vote on who should lead the party into next year's European elections.
EU candidate Alex Stubb calls for net-zero carbon by 2045
Should he be picked as the European People's Party (EPP) lead candidate for the European Commission’s top job, Alexander Stubb vows to “work towards a carbon neutral Europe by 2045”. EURACTIV's media partner Climate Home News reports.
Stubb: Public support is one thing, casting votes another
Alexander Stubb, one of the EPP's two candidates to be the next European Commission president, has urged Greek and Cypriot conservatives to remember how he handled the financial crisis and make an “educated and personal” choice at the party’s congress next month.
Orbán sends ‘take it or leave it’ message to the centre-right EPP
Hungary’s maverick Prime Minister Viktor Orbán took the gloves off and challenged his European People’s Party (EPP) at a pre-summit meeting on Wednesday (17 October), saying he wanted to remain an EPP member but should be accepted as he is, sources close to the issue told EURACTIV.com.
Stubb has ‘zero tolerance’ for EPP rebels
Alexander Stubb, one of the EPP’s candidates for the next European Commission president, came out in defiance against the ‘illiberal’ factions within his party on Wednesday (17 October), saying he had zero tolerance for violations of fundamental party values.
Macedonia parliament to vote on name change deal with Greece
Macedonia's parliament will vote Monday (15 October) on whether to ratify a deal to change the country's name, in a bid to finally settle one of Europe's longest running disputes.
Stubb: No room for populism in EPP, European values are under threat
After serving his country as a minister and prime minister, and gaining first-hand experience in dealing with some of the EU's biggest crises, Alexander Stubb is now vying for the top job in the European Commission. He presented his credentials during an interview with EURACTIV.
Controversy in Greece: did New Democracy have secret contacts with Zaev?
A big controversy is ongoing in Greece following reports that the country’s largest opposition force, New Democracy, which strongly opposes the name deal with Skopje, has had secretive contacts with the Prime Minister of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Zoran Zaev.