The spokeswoman of the Spanish Popular Party (PP) in the European Parliament, Dolors Montserrat, was confirmed on Wednesday as new general secretary of the European Popular Party (PPE)number two of the community formation and right hand of the re -elected president, the German Manfred Weber, who renewed his position for the next three years this Tuesday. The Spanish received 518 votes in favor of the 562 cast, in addition to 40 against and four blank or non -valid votes, which represents a 93% support of delegates with the right to vote in the PPE Congress in Valencia, which concludes today.
In the vote There was no other candidate Being a personal nomination of Weber himself, which in recent weeks has praised the figure of Montserrat and his role in the 2024 European elections campaign in which the PP came to almost double its number of seats in the Eurocamara with respect to the previous legislature (22 against 13).
In his thanks speech, of which he delivered parts in Spanish, English, French, German and Italian, he transmitted to the host city of Valencia that, after six months of the devastating floods that left more than 200 dead in October, Europe “does not forget, does not abandon and leaves anyone behind.” The popular appeared before Congress “As Catalan, Spanish and European”: “Catalonia showed me that nationalism can poison a wonderful land. Spain, that unity is the refuge and the solution to all problems. Europe has taught me the value of peace and solidarity,” he said.
“I assume the position of general secretary of the European Popular Party with honor and responsibility. And, above all, with a deep conviction: Europe will only exist if it is still free“, He urged. With Montserrat, the General Secretariat of the Party returns to Spanish hands after Antonio López Istúriz held this position for two decades, between 2002 and 2022, and that before him Alejandro Agag was done in the previous two years. In addition, for the first time in the history of the party, a woman will hold this position, to whom Weber wants to give a more political dye in search of a new narrative for a new narrative for a new narrative for a new narrative for a new narrative for a new narrative for a new narrative for a new narrative to They face the new global geopolitical uncertainty.
In addition to his new position in the party, Montserrat will maintain the vice presidency of the Popular Europarliamentary Group And his role as a member of the National Executive Committee of the PP, but will leave the headquarters of the Spanish delegation in the popular European Parliament, which will pass to Esteban González Pons in the next few days.
The PPE also chose his Vice Presidents for the next three years: Finnish prime minister, Petteri Orpo; Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani; the Portuguese Outside Holder, Paulo Rangel; the viceprimer Greek minister, Kostis chatzidakis; The European Commissioners Dubravka Suica (Croatia) and Magnus Brunner (Austria), and the Eurodiputados David Mcallister (Germany), Siegfried Muresan (Romania) and Andrzej Halicki (Poland), as well as the former European ex -commissioner Mairead McGuinness (Ireland).
