Overview
- Weber published his defense Saturday in a Welt am Sonntag guest piece after reports of leaked chats showed coordination with far-right parties on migration votes.
- He says the firewall rests on three tests — support for the rule of law, for Ukraine, and for Europe — and he vows no partnerships with groups that fail them.
- Weber argues extremists have had no say over EPP legislative texts or staffing decisions in the European Parliament.
- The dpa leak described CDU/CSU members pushing a tougher EU asylum plan with help from parties such as the AfD and said parts of the text were coordinated in chats.
- The disclosures have raised pressure in Germany, with CSU leader Markus Söder calling the leak surprising and disturbing.