HELSINKI (AP) — Center-right leaders and senior politicians from across Europe are gathering to plot their strategy to win the next EU elections, and must decide whether Hungary's stridently nationalist ruling party should remain part of their political family.
Over two days in Finland starting Wednesday, heavyweights from the European People's Party — the group uniting Europe's center-right parties — will stake their claim to the EU's top political posts. The leaders of Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland and the EU's main institutions will all attend.
The favorite to win EPP endorsement to become the next president of the European Commission is German conservative Manfred Weber. But former Finnish prime minister Alexander Stubb is positioning himself as the fresh, new face of European conservatism and has run a slick social media campaign.
