Scholz warns von der Leyen not to work with right-wing extremists

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has indirectly warned European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen not to try to secure another term in office after the European elections with the help of right-wing extremists.

"It is clear to me that when the next [European] Commission is formed, it must not be based on a majority in parliament that also requires the support of right-wing extremists," Scholz said at a joint press conference with Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro in Berlin on Thursday.

In this respect, he was "very saddened by the ambiguity of some of the political statements" recently heard, he said.

In April, von der Leyen did not rule out cooperating with the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, to which the party of Italian Prime Minister Meloni, the ultra-right Brotehrs of Italy, also belongs.

Von der Leyen, who is the lead candidate of the conservative European People's Party (EPP) group, defended her position in the EU Parliament on Thursday. "I worked very well with Giorgia Meloni in the European Council, as I do with all heads of state and prime ministers," the German Christian Democrat (CDU) politician said.

Scholz, a centre-left Social Democrat, said that his position was clear: "It will only be possible to establish a commission presidency that is based on the traditional parties ... Anything else would be a mistake for the future of Europe."