Siegbert Droese
EU
AfD Kompakt, March 6, 2019
[Siegbert Droese
is an Alternative für Deutschland Bundestag member from the eastern German
state of Saxony. He is a hotel and restaurant entrepreneur. He here criticizes
recent remarks by Manfred Weber, the CSU politician from Bavaria who is
expected to become the new president of the European Commission following the
European parliamentary elections scheduled for this coming May. Weber has threatened
the expulsion of the Fidesz party of Hungarian prime minister Victor Orban from
the EVP, the European Peoples Party, the center-right party of the European
Parliament of which the CSU and Fidesz are members.]
Is this the new style of the EU? Is this
Europe’s new start, proclaimed by Macron? The tone in the EU becomes ever more
course; between Brussels and Warsaw, between Weber and Orban, between Salvini
and Macron. So who is still surprised by Brexit?
The EU must become a world power, continually
affirming a common European foreign policy and common values. And yet some of
the leading officials of the EU cannot speak to one another like reasonable
men! Hungary is no rogue state, no Iran or North Korea which supposedly must be
disciplined. Weber’s ultimatum is an unforced error, and not least for the EVP
which will obviously require every vote after the European elections to assist
its lead candidates to power.
Hungary is not obliged to permit, in Hungary,
American universities which confer U.S. diplomas and which on a daily basis
make propaganda evidently for the overthrow of Orban. It happens that a
Bavarian politician, who otherwise vehemently defends federalism in German
education policy, wants to make prescriptions for other countries’ colleges and
universities.
In the EU’s entire push against Hungary,
there is no thought of aim or variety. In tone, Weber has played himself false
and he has damaged the EU. Even before he is in office, Weber has thereby now
disqualified himself from the Brussels post after which he is striving.
[Translated by Todd Martin]
