The President of the EPP, Wilfried Martens, today welcomed the founding of the new Italian party Popolo della Liberta (PDL).

Speaking in its first Congress in Rome, President Martens said that PDL shares the same fundamental values of the EPP political family: freedom, justice, dignity of the person, equality and solidarity.

“Taking into accounts its statutes, PDL has a clear idea about the role that a political party should play in a modern society”, he stated.

Martens reminded that PDL is the successor party of Forza Italia, a long-standing member of the EPP, and also includes other like-minded individuals and former parties.

“The PDL is consolidating Italy's centre-right and its leader, Silvio Berlusconi, has brought to the political center-ground political forces that could have otherwise become eurosceptic or nationalist.” He also congratulated Antonio Tajani, EPP Vice-President and European Commission Vice-President, for his “excellent work” in Brussels.

EPP President also said “the founding Congress of PDL is a relevant moment for the European history since it could facilitate that the EPP Group in the European Parliament will remain the largest political force and, consequently, will help lead the most important decisions that we will have to adopt in the future”.

He ended his speech by wishing PDL a great success in the upcoming European elections to be held in June 2009.

For more information: EPP Press Officer, Javier Jimenez, Tel: +32 475 480 446