Manfred Weber facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Manfred Weber
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Weber in 2023
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| President of the European People's Party | |
| Assumed office 1 June 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Donald Tusk |
| Leader of the European People's Party in the European Parliament | |
| Assumed office 4 June 2014 |
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| President | Donald Tusk Himself |
| Preceded by | Joseph Daul |
| Member of the European Parliament for Germany |
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| Assumed office 13 June 2004 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 July 1972 Niederhatzkofen, West Germany |
| Political party | Christian Social Union |
| Education | Munich University of Applied Sciences |
Manfred Weber (born 14 July 1972) is a German politician. He is the current President of the European People's Party (EPP) since 2022. He has also been the leader of the EPP Group in the European Parliament since 2014.
He has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Germany since 2004. He belongs to the Christian Social Union (CSU) party in Germany. This party is part of the larger European People's Party.
When he was 29, Weber became the youngest member of the Bavarian state parliament in 2003. In 2014, he became the youngest leader of a political group in the European Parliament. He is known as a calm and skilled politician in European Union (EU) politics.
In 2018, Weber wanted to become the President of the European Commission. He was chosen as the main candidate (called Spitzenkandidat) for the EPP. In the 2019 European Parliament elections, his party won the most seats. This made him the top choice for the Commission President job. However, Ursula von der Leyen was chosen instead.
Education and early career
Manfred Weber studied engineering at the Munich Higher Technical Institute. He finished his studies in 1996. After that, he started his own consulting company. He worked there until 2014. From 2002 to 2004, he was a member of the Bavarian Parliament.
Political career
Early political roles
From 2002 to 2014, Weber was a member of the local council in the Kelheim District. He also served in the Landtag of Bavaria, which is the parliament of the German state of Bavaria, from 2002 to 2004.
In 2003, Weber became the chairman of the Junge Union in Bavaria. This is the youth wing of the Christian Social Union party. He held this position until 2007. He also joined the CSU's main executive board. In 2008, he became the chairman of the CSU in Lower Bavaria.
Member of the European Parliament
Manfred Weber became a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) in 2004. He worked on important committees, like the one for civil liberties and justice. He also worked on the committee for constitutional affairs.
In 2008, he helped create the first EU law about returning people who are staying in the EU illegally. This law was a big step for home affairs in Europe.
After being re-elected in 2009, Weber became a vice-chairman of the European People's Party group. This group is the largest political group in the European Parliament. In this role, he helped set the group's political plans. He also focused on justice and home affairs.
Since 2014, Weber has been the chairman of the EPP group. This means he leads the largest group of MEPs in the European Parliament. He is also part of the Conference of Presidents, which guides the work of the European Parliament.
Running for European Commission President
In September 2018, Weber announced he wanted to become the President of the European Commission. This is a very important job in the EU. He was the Spitzenkandidat (lead candidate) for the EPP party. The Spitzenkandidat system means that the leader of the party that wins the most seats in the European Parliament elections should become the Commission President.
In May 2019, Weber's EPP party won the most seats. This made him the top candidate to take over from Jean-Claude Juncker. However, the leaders of the EU countries did not choose him. Instead, Ursula von der Leyen, who is also from the EPP, was chosen as President.
In 2022, Weber became the President of the entire European People's Party.
Role in German politics
In 2015, Horst Seehofer, who was the leader of Bavaria, made Weber one of his deputies in the CSU party leadership. This showed Weber's growing importance in German politics. In 2017, he helped in talks to form a new government in Germany. He worked on European policy for Chancellor Angela Merkel's government. Merkel also supported Weber's attempt to become President of the European Commission.
Political views
European integration
Manfred Weber believes in a strong and united Europe. In 2014, he disagreed with British Prime Minister David Cameron's idea to slow down European integration. Weber said that the EU is built on countries working closer together, and this cannot be changed.
However, he did support Britain's request to have a say in decisions about the euro currency, even though Britain did not use the euro. He also thought that Britain's idea to limit welfare payments for EU immigrants was fair.
When the UK voted to leave the European Union (Brexit), Weber said it was a "very negative day." He believed that Britain would be less comfortable, less safe, and less economically strong outside the EU.
In 2018, Weber suggested giving free Interrail tickets to all EU citizens on their 18th birthday. These tickets would allow young people to travel freely across the EU for one month. He said this would help bring people together and make young people excited about Europe again.
Issues with Hungary
In 2013, the European Parliament criticized Hungary for problems with basic rights. Weber first said this was a political attack on the Hungarian government. However, in 2018, he voted to start a special process against Hungary's government. This process could lead to punishments for not following EU rules.
Despite this, the EPP group was divided on the issue. Some members voted for the action, while others voted against it. In 2019, Weber could not stop Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán from running a poster campaign against European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Later, in March 2019, Orbán's party, Fidesz, was suspended from the EPP. In 2021, Fidesz left the EPP group entirely.
Relations with Russia
In 2016, Weber criticized a plan for a new gas pipeline from Russia called Nord Stream 2. He said it would make the EU too dependent on Russian gas. He wanted the EU to get more gas from other places, like the Caspian Sea.
In 2021, after the arrest of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, Weber demanded that the EU stop financial deals with people close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Doñana National Park conflict
In April 2023, there was a disagreement about the Doñana National Park in Spain. This park is a very important wetland and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The local government wanted to allow more water to be taken from the park for farming, even though it was illegal.
The European Commission said this would break EU laws. But Weber disagreed with the Commission. He said the Commission was playing "party politics" and unfairly targeting the local government. Other EU officials, like Virginijus Sinkevičius, said that Doñana is important for both Spain and the EU. This disagreement showed a tension between Weber and the Commission.
European Green Deal
In July 2023, Weber tried to stop a new law called the Nature Restoration Law. This law is part of the European Green Deal, which aims to protect nature. Weber said the law would harm farmers and threaten where our food comes from.
Offshore asylum schemes
In March 2024, the EPP shared its new plans. One idea was to send people seeking asylum to other countries outside the EU. This plan caused a lot of discussion. Some people thought it was a way to get support from conservative voters. Others said it was a move towards more extreme right-wing ideas for the EPP.
Other activities
- European Academy of Bavaria, Member of the Board of Trustees
- Institute for European Politics (IEP), Member of the Board of Trustees
- Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), Member
- Friends of Braunau in Rohr Abbey, Chairman
See also
In Spanish: Manfred Weber para niños
