The European People’s Party (EPP), despite its supposed center-right stance, has once again caved to leftist pressure, abandoning a deal with conservative blocs at the last minute.
This time, the dispute centered on the 2026 EU budget, with the EPP initially aligning with the Patriots for Europe (PfE) and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) on two key amendments—only to backpedal when the Left threatened to derail the entire budget.
The first amendment aimed to allocate funds for border security, including external barriers and offshore deportation centers, echoing priorities set by EU leaders last year. The second sought to cut funding to UNRWA, the UN agency accused of aiding Hamas, which continues to receive massive EU contributions despite repeated scandals.
Predictably, left-wing factions—socialists, liberals, and Greens—wouldn’t have it. They vowed to tank the budget if the amendments passed. Under pressure, the EPP folded, voting both measures down to secure leftist backing for the final spending plan.
Polish MEP Andrzej Halicki, the EPP’s budget rapporteur, likely played a key role in orchestrating the reversal. He previously slammed conservative cooperation, blaming them for legislative roadblocks. A similar scenario played out last October when the EPP initially supported a migration amendment in the 2025 budget, only to face leftist backlash. At the time, Halicki called it a “mistake” and urged his party not to give ground to the Right.
This latest episode confirms one thing: when forced to choose between honoring its commitments or maintaining its alliance with the Left, the EPP will always pick the latter.
