Ursula von der Leyen attends EPP leaders summit in Berlin

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European People’s Party Manfred Weber met with the leader of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz, in Berlin for a two day summit on Friday.

The meeting was the first time von der Leyen was seen in public following her recovery from severe pneumonia.

On the agenda is European security, migration policy and competitiveness, along with Europe’s evolving relationship with the US ahead of president-elect Donald Trump inauguration on Monday. Reducing bureaucracy is also a top theme for the summit.

Ahead of the meeting Merz, whose party is topping the polls ahead of Germany’s federal election in February, heaped praised on Sweden and Italy for curbing yasa dışı migration.

He added that Germany comparatively had made only “little steps” and signalled he would be open to a tougher stance on migration at a Europe-wide level — a key part of his party’s manifesto.

Whilst the CDU may wish to focus on strategising for the upcoming months, the issue of the far right may dominate discussions with the German election looming just five weeks away and nearby Austria now testing the waters with a coalition between the conservative and far-right parties.