A one-off? A coincidence? Unfortunately unavoidable? Anyone who asks the Conservatives why they vote together with the far right in the European Parliament is given a different evasive answer each time. The truth, however, is this: under Manfred Weber, the Conservatives are deliberately pursuing politics in the EU alongside the far right – including representatives of the AfD.

During the 2024 European election campaign, CSU politician Weber explicitly ruled this out. “The AfD is a radical party among radicals. That is extremely dangerous. For me, the AfD is a corrupt party,” he said at the time. He also declared: “They are traitors to the nation and not representatives of our homeland. That is why we must argue forcefully against them.”

Yet by October 2024, cracks had already begun to appear in this so-called firewall. At that point, CDU/CSU MEPs voted in favour of an AfD motion to finance walls and fences along the EU’s external borders. Since then, developments have come thick and fast. Together, the Conservatives and the far right set up a sham tribunal against NGOs in the European Parliament, aimed at discrediting inconvenient voices from civil society. The decision passed only thanks to AfD votes.

Today alone, the Conservatives have adopted four pieces of legislation together with the far right – against the votes of Social Democrats, Liberals, Greens and the Left (on supply chains, deforestation, safe countries of origin, and third countries).

Instead of negotiating compromises with pro-European parties in the European Parliament, the Conservatives under Weber’s leadership are pursuing culture wars, deregulation, or outright political blackmail.

The price is Europe’s democracy. For the first time, fascists and enemies of Europe are shaping the laws we make in Europe.