Competitiveness, immigration, the European Union’s relations with the United States and internal security are at the heart of the meeting of the leaders of the European People’s Party, which has been taking place since yesterday, Friday, in Berlin, with the participation of the Prime Minister and President of the New Democracy, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Following an invitation from the chairman of the ELP group in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber, and Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU/CSU) and candidate for chancellorship in the upcoming elections, the leaders of the EPP parties – including 15 heads of state and government – and the presidents of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, meet just weeks before the German elections (23 February) and just hours before the new US president, Donald Trump, takes office.

At the top of the agenda are the European Union’s place in the new global reality, relations with the US, security issues, immigration policy, business competitiveness and the goal of cutting red tape. “The EPP’s electoral program now becomes a work program (…) 2025 is the year of implementation for our priorities for a stronger, safer and more competitive Europe. As the EPP, we bring leadership, vision and unity – a strong people’s party with a mandate to lead in Europe,” Manfred Weber said shortly before the opening of the session, explaining that EPP leaders want to focus on strategic planning for the coming months.

However, issues such as the rise of far-right and populist forces, ahead of the elections in Germany, where the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has consolidated its second place in the polls with 20-22% of the vote, but also the emerging governmental cooperation between the centre-right (ÖVP) and the far-right (FPÖ) in Austria, are being closely monitored by the EPP and are also expected to be a concern in the leaders’ talks.

The European Parliament is closely watching the talks and the talks are closely monitored by the opposition parties.

On the sidelines of the summit, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held private meetings yesterday, including with CDU leader Friedrich Murch and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola. According to reports, during the meeting with Mr. Merts, who, as the polls so far indicate, will probably be the next Chancellor of Germany, issues of mutual and European interest were discussed, with emphasis on the economy and the competitiveness of the EU, while the dynamic recovery of the Greek economy was highlighted, as well as the Greek successes in the field of digitisation of the state, to which the Prime Minister attaches particular importance.

The two leaders also discussed the electoral program of the CDU and noted many common points with the government program implemented by the Greek government under Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The two leaders also exchanged views on the issue of European defence, with the Prime Minister reiterating the need for joint European funding of important defence programs of common interest to the European Union, such as European air defence.

Prior to the summit, Merz had highlighted the main pillars of the CDU’s European policy under his leadership, calling for “tougher rules to curb illegal immigration to Europe” and “stronger European efforts” and stressing the need to boost the competitiveness of European industry, especially under the threat of tariffs from the new US administration.