Former polish Prime minister elected as president of Ecr party

Mateusz Morawiecki, former Polish prime minister, has been elected president of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) party, succeeding Giorgia Meloni. In his inaugural remarks, Morawiecki praised Meloni as an inspiration and pledged to continue her work while steering the party through a period of ideological transition. The new leader emphasized unity on critical issues such as support for Ukraine and distancing the party from Germany’s far-right AfD. At the same time, he revived some of ECR’s traditional euroskeptic priorities, including resisting centralization of power within the European Commission and protecting freedom of expression from perceived restrictions in Europe.

Under Meloni’s leadership, ECR transformed from a euroskeptic and sovereignist party to a more mainstream and reliable force in European politics, mirroring her own evolution as a stateswoman. Morawiecki now faces the challenge of balancing the party’s ideological stance between the center-right European People’s Party (EPP) and the far-right Patriots for Europe, led by Viktor Orbán. His pragmatic approach positions ECR as a potential linchpin in European parliamentary coalitions, emphasizing cooperation with both the EPP and more nationalist factions while maintaining a firm commitment to the sovereignty of nation-states.

Morawiecki also highlighted ECR’s strategic transatlantic role, pointing to strong ties with the U.S. Republican Party and a shared vision for a united Western front in the current geopolitical climate. Alongside his election, new vice-presidents Carlo Fidanza, Marion Maréchal, and George Simion were appointed, reflecting the party’s diverse leadership. The ECR aims to build on the successes of Meloni’s tenure while navigating a complex European political landscape under Morawiecki’s leadership.