In some EU states – Sweden and Italy, for example – EPP member parties cooperate with parties further to the right. And EPP leader Manfred Weber is also looking in this direction. In search of new partners for his weakening party family, he is approaching the ECR parliamentary group, among others, as Markus Grabitz reports. He is said to have met Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni several times in recent months. There is protest against this development – even within his own ranks.