Stop 'neo-Nazis' from destroying Europe - lawmaker

A top German EU lawmaker, Manfred Weber, attacked "neo-Nazis" and far-right populists in a speech on Saturday before being elected to lead his centre-right party's charge in European Parliament elections in June.

Weber from the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) denounced right-wing populism, and attacked the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in particular. His harshest words were directed at AfD regional leader Björn Höcke, a notorious extremist figure in the party.

Weber noted that Höcke has declared that the European Union must die, and thus expressed "what the actual substantive thinking of these Nazis really is."

"I would like us in the CSU to speak out loudly against this: we will not let you nationalists destroy our Europe, which is certainly not perfect - but our Europe, which is the most beautiful we have ever had in the history of this continent, the best we have ever had in the history of the continent," Weber said.

"We will not let you neo-Nazis destroy it!" he said.

He also criticized left-wing politics, arguing that that what Europe needs is "a politics of the centre" which can safeguard prosperity, enforce immigration policy and safeguard peace in a strong and united Europe.

CSU party members overwhelmingly backed Manfred Weber as the CSU's top candidate for the elections. Weber is currently the president of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) bloc in the European Parliament.

He received 240 out of 250 votes cast, with only 10 delegates voting no.

Bavarian state premier Markus Söder also spoke on Saturday, describing next year's European Parliament elections as decisive for the future of the continent.

"The European elections are a fateful election for the entire continent, but also a test election for Germany," said Söder on Saturday at the party meeting in Nuremberg.

Söder likewise denounced far-right populism and argued for a strong European Union.

"That means not simply saying what populists are trying to say and telling others to do the same," said Söder, referring to the recent election of far-right anti-immigrant firebrand Geert Wilders in the Netherlands.

"We saw in Holland how dangerous it can be if you tear down the firewall. I am firmly convinced that anyone who tears down a firewall will end up burning themselves."

In Germany, mainstream parties - including Söder's CSU and its national sister party, the Christian Democrats (CDU) - have kept a so-called firewall against cooperation with the AfD.

Söder said the example of the Netherlands made clear why German conservatives need to clearly distance themselves from far-right populists and make a commitment "to a Europe of protection: protection of borders, protection of social standards, protection of the population against the turmoil and uncertainties of the world."

A Europe is needed "for the little people too, not just for the European elites," Söder said, describing it as a theme the CSU should emphasize during the election.