As a politician I want to be

do you want to learn Manfred Weber know, as long as it goes. "If he is the President of the EU Commission , we will see him here ever again!" Wolfgang Zimmermann and Jörg Rau giggle. The two pensioners have enjoyed the wise time, in politics the hard part. Like 100 other men and women, you are come to a political Salon in Rostock, home of the "Ostsee-Zeitung" to debate with the Europe-the top candidate of the German and the European Christian Democrats.

Neither Rough nor Zimmermann select the CDU. "Russia, you see here" – in the former GDR – "of course, unlike you in the West." From their point of view, Russia is not a threat but an essential neighbor and Partner. Von Weber, you don't just want to know how it is with Moscow to go on, but with the EU as a whole. Europe of the threat diverge. "The concept."

dispute about Gas

Manfred Weber shines, as he takes a seat. The 46-year-old low-Bayer, the acts on the big stages woods, talking quickly. He answers all questions, calls, frequent Hand on heart, if he wants to give his Belief. In the course of an hour and a half, he argues, increasingly passionate, and the audience claps more and more frequently.

In the high German to the North-East, the refugees are not the most pressing issue, not the housing crisis, the AfD or the climate. It comes to Nord Stream 2, the Russian-German project worth a second gas pipeline through the Baltic sea. About 130 kilometres to the East of Rostock, the soon to be completed line, was reached. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Nord Stream 2 is considered to be shortcuts for jobs, energy security, proximity to Russia. All parties are for it.

Weber, on the other hand is. He will head the EU Commission, he recently told a Polish magazine, he would do everything to stop Nord Stream 2. He is not only against the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, but also against the official Position of the German government. In this issue, Europe is more important to him than Germany, explains Weber. Nord Stream 2 might be in the interests of Berlin and Moscow, but it column, Europe, and threaten Poland and the Ukraine.

"Europe is the promise that we will solve problems together."Manfred Weber

"We need to think of energy security of the European." And since it is necessary to reduce the dependence on Russian Gas and Oil to increase. Weber acknowledges that the CDU-Chancellor Angela Merkel to comment at least on the Fears of poles and Ukrainians. The SPD of Gerhard Schröder, however, the Ex-Chancellor, the Gas lobbyists, and Vladimir Putin is a friend, a deaf ear.

Europe did not mean that there is no conflicting interests, recognized Weber. "Europe is the promise that we will solve problems together." The EU should take in the future, more and more of the big answers and the little back to the members. The same is true for the Wolf, the spread in the sparsely populated North-East view, many of the residents with concern. Protection of species is important, says Weber. But as Mecklenburg responsible way with the Wolf, knew the people better than Brussels.

"Russia-haters"

the charge out of the room, Weber's "hate Russia" and paktiere rather with the "war-monger US," he replies thoughtfully. "The relationship with Russia is one of the most difficult challenges." He believe in the old Credo of German Ostpolitik, that trade could lead to change. But times have changed. Under Putin, Russia has turned to confrontation with the West. In the Ukraine it got moved for the first time since the Second world war borders by force, the anti-European Propaganda on the Internet going to increasingly more aggressive. He regretted this very much. But the eyes to them could decide, and you should not.

Jean-Claude Juncker , the outgoing President of the EU Commission, have offered Putin many years ago, to create a joint European-Russian free trade zone from Lisbon to Vladivostok. As Juncker's successor, he would renew this offer. "But at the Moment, Europe has simply no Partner."

As Wolfgang Zimmermann asks, as Manfred Weber wool to prevent the drifting Apart of Europe, between the North and the South, West and East, to counter this his own observation: "I experience now, because I'm everywhere on the road, a different Europe." The Brexit-Chaos in the UK have led to many people how the value of the European community. The Approval ratings today are as high as they have been for decades.

After the final applause, he is surrounded

What is the EU in need of after a decade of crises, but, undoubtedly, be a new departure. Once Helmut Kohl with the Euro, the need to design now to brave the future security, asylum and climate policy. And do not stop that single steps are actually perhaps even unpopular – such as the Euro at the time also. "As a politician I want to be." Now Weber is lit.

After the final applause, he is surrounded, once again, to interview and photograph. Then the choice of fighters, 280 kilometers to the West. In the schleswig-Holstein Husum, the CDU of North Friesland to the spring reception awaits him. The following day, Weber to South Tyrol travels, on the same night to Florence, where he argues with the leading candidates of the other European party families, to the public.

Wolfgang Zimmermann and Jörg Rau, the two snazzy pensioners, are using the debate to be extremely satisfactory. Russia, you still see friendly than the Bayer. But you don't appreciate, that Weber talks of the audience to the mouth, but his opposition is engaged to be justified. "He also claims that there are all the problems have simple solutions, the pain anyone." So much honesty is not commonplace.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 02.05.2019, 20:02 PM