The vice president of the Group of the European People's Party (PPE) in the European Parliament, Esteban González Pons, assured today that "the virus of national-populism is attacking us again and can kill democracy".
During the opening of the meeting that the EPP Group celebrates this week in San Sebastian, González Pons has warned that national-populism is present throughout Europe and that what he wants is "to destroy everything we have built in Europe during the last 70 years".
"We know what nationalism and populism can do Europe, we know how much war, misery and death can bring to this continent, so we must not allow it to happen again," he added.
González Pons has also cited, like other of the great challenges facing the European Union (EU), the fight against terrorism, and has had a memory for the almost 100 victims provoked in San Sebastian by ETA terrorism.
"We can not say that terrorism will not hit us again, but what we can say is that we will never surrender," he assured.
In addition, the vice president of the PPE Group has mentioned the migration crisis, global trade wars, climate change and the digital revolution as fundamental challenges for the EU.
Brexit has also mentioned, noting that the EU "has remained united during these three long years since the referendum, and we have to stay united."
"We want the best possible relationship with the United Kingdom, but our priority is not those who want to leave, but those who want to stay," he explained.
Support for Manfred Weber as the next president of the European Commission
González Pons has also reiterated the support of the 179 MEPs of the PPE Group to its president, Manfred Weber, to be elected president of the European Commission, taking into account the result of the European elections on 26 May, in which the Group EPP has once again been elected as a majority force in the European Parliament.