EPP-CoR members discusse the future of democracies and Europe with national and European leaders in Berlin
"We need to fight populism by using all levels of governance including the local and regional level. By virtue of our job, we are closest level to the people, we listen, we are constantly on the streets, even during the pandemic. We know what people want. We need to use the opportunity to regain trust of the people and bring Europe closer to its citizens." Rafal Trzaskowski, Mayor of Warsaw and EPP-CoR Group member made these remarks during a Bureau meeting organised by the EPP Group in the European Parliament in Berlin.
Joining Mafred Weber (Chairman of the EPP Group), Pablo Casado (President of Partido Popular) and Leo Varadkar (President of Fine Gael) during a debate on the 'Future of Christian Democracy', Trzaskowski spoke on the need to focus on the real priorities of people. "We need to engage with people and increase our outreach through think-tanks, discussion groups and initiatives that directly address the young people. The grass roots were always our strength and we need to talk directly to the people." Trzaskowski said that subsidiarity is a Christian value which needs to be defended in the context to populists who want to centralise power.
Trzaskowski added that the EPP is not about ideologies but about values which we need to translate into real life. Appealing for direct funding for cities and regions to bring about change through clear deliverables, Trzaskowski who is member of the Covenant of Mayors Political Board and rapporteur of the Committee of the Regions on the European Climate Pact asked "why don’t we identify 20 buildings in every city and retrofit them, why don't we replace all diesel buses in European cities through direct funds channelled to cities and regions?"
During the meeting, Manfred Weber welcomed EPP-CoR President Olgierd Geblewicz. During the meeting Geblewicz met with several national and European counterparts. Days away from elections in Germany, the Mayor of Warsaw said that this election is important for Germany and above all important for Europe and expressed his full support to the CDU/CSU. The Bureau meeting was also addressed by Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of Germany.