The great and the good of the European People's Party met in Valencia for the party's annual congress, six months after the city was hit by devastating floods, where proceedings ended with the election of a variety of party officials.
On Tuesday German MEP Manfred Weber was re-elected party president in an uncontested process on Tuesday, receiving 502 of 570 votes cast, after warning ahead of the congress of an authoritarian wave in Europe in an interview with Euronews.
German chancellor in waiting Friedrich Merz addressed the congress, warning the party not to lose the pro-European vote by approving burdensome measures on business and citizens.
Spanish MEP Dolors Montserrat was voted in as secretary general unopposed (with 93% of votes cast in the congress) and Francois-Xavier Bellamy as treasurer (with 91% of votes cast).
The party's ten vice-presidents were also elected, with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo topping the list, and Bulgarian former foreign minister Mariya Gabriel missing out on a place.
