European People's Party kicks off electoral campaign at Congress in Bucharest, 6-7 March

The European People's Party (EPP) is holding its Congress on 6-7 March in Bucharest to mark the start of its electoral campaign for the European Parliament elections in June, in which opinion polls place it as the leading political force.The focus will be on German politician Ursula von der Leyen (65), the current head of the European Commission, who is the sole candidate to lead the People's Party list in the European elections and, therefore, to win a new five-year term as head of the EU executive.In addition to the election of Ursula von der Leyen as candidate for the EC presidency, the EPP congress will also adopt the electoral manifesto for the European elections on 6-9 June.Eleven heads of state and government from the European Union are confirmed to attend the meeting, including European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, European Parliament president Roberta Metsola and EPP president Manfred Weber.The 11 EU heads of state and government who will speak at the congress are Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, Finnish prime minister Petteri Orpo, Luxembourg prime minister Luc Frieden, Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson, Cypriot prime minister Nikos Christodoulides, Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer, Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar, Croatian prime minister Andrej Plenkovic, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk, Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Lithuanian prime minister Ingrida ?imonyte.The event will also be attended by non-EU European leaders who are members of the EPP, such as the president of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, or the president of Switzerland, Viola Amherd, who will speak on the first day of the meeting.Some 2,000 participants from 44 countries have been invited to take part in the congress.Co-hosted by the National Liberal Party (PNL), EPP president Manfred Weber and EPP secretary general Thanasis Bakolas, the congress will bring together the European popular political family "to reaffirm our political values and principles, focus on the preparations for the European Parliament elections in June, adopt the EPP manifesto, as well as elect the party's lead candidate," the event's website says.The first day, Wednesday, will open with a welcome address by PNL leader Nicolae Ciuca, chairman of the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romanians (UDMR) Kelemen Hunor and EPP president Manfred Weber.A debate will follow on "the voice of villages, cities and regions", followed by Davos-style panel discussions focusing on three themes: security and defence; solidarity between generations; economy and jobs.Then speeches will be held by non-EU European heads of state and government, as well as leaders of non-EU EPP-affiliated opposition parties, including Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.The first day will end with the presentation and vote on the EPP manifesto for the European elections.The second day of the congress, Thursday, will be dedicated to the election of the EPP's main candidate for the Presidency of the European Commission.During the first part of the day, leaders of opposition parties from the EU will speak in the plenary session.These will be followed by a speech of EPP president Manfred Weber and a speech by candidate Ursula von der Leyen.This will be followed by a secret ballot for the EPP's election leader.The meeting will then be followed by addresses of some EPP vice-presidents from the EU, followed by addresses of EU heads of state and government.The day will end with speeches by the president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, and the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, followed by the announcement of the result of the vote and the acceptance speech of the EPP candidate for the EC leadership.