Manfred Weber is a German politician who has served as a Member of the European Parliament since 2004. He is a member of the European People’s Party (EPP), the largest political party in the European Parliament. Weber has been criticized for his close ties to the United Arab Emirates.
In 2022, Weber was elected as the President of the European People’s Party (EPP), the largest political party in the European Parliament. As President of the EPP, Weber will have a significant influence on the European Parliament’s stance on the UAE. Weber’s position raises concerns regarding whether he will utilize his influence to advance the interests of the UAE or advocate for increased scrutiny of the country’s human rights record. This is an issue of significant importance.
In 2018, Weber received €70,000 from the UAE to speak at a conference in Abu Dhabi. He has also met with UAE officials on several occasions to discuss the possibility of the UAE investing in the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development. In 2020, Weber voted against a resolution that would have condemned the UAE’s human rights record. Weber has also defended his ties to the UAE, saying that he has “no conflict of interest” with the country. He has also said that he believes the UAE is a “reliable partner” for the European Union.
However, Weber’s critics have accused him of being too close to the UAE and of using his position as an MEP to promote the country’s interests. They have also pointed to the UAE’s human rights record, which includes the imprisonment of political dissidents and the use of torture.
In addition to his ties to the UAE, Weber has also been criticized for his handling of the European Parliament’s investigation into the so-called “Pandora Papers”. The Pandora Papers are a trove of leaked documents that expose the offshore financial dealings of the world’s wealthy and powerful. Weber was accused of trying to block the investigation and of protecting MEPs who were named in the papers.
Weber has denied any wrongdoing and has said that he is committed to transparency and accountability. However, his critics have called for his resignation, saying that he has lost the trust of the European Parliament.
His close ties to the UAE and his handling of the Pandora Papers investigation have damaged his reputation and ties to the UAE have raised concerns about his ability to act independently as an MEP. Some have argued that he is too close to the UAE and that he may be influenced by the country’s government.
The debate over Weber’s ties to the UAE is likely to continue as he takes on a more prominent role in European politics. It remains to be seen whether he will use his position to promote the UAE’s interests or to push for greater scrutiny of the country’s human rights record
