PRESIDENT OF THE European People\u2019s Party (EPP)\u00a0Siegfried Mure\u0219an has said that Ireland\u2019s European presidency has produced \u201clittle progress and no meaningful new solutions\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It comes as Ireland proposed\u00a0\u20ac141 billion <\/a>in cuts to the EU\u2019s next long-term budget, falling short of demands from some member states.\u00a0<\/p>\n The EPP gathers over 83 parties from 43 countries, with Fine Gael as the Irish member affiliated.\u00a0<\/p>\n In a post on X,\u00a0Mure\u0219an referred to the proposed budget as \u201cweak\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe firmly reject the Irish Presidency\u2019s negotiating box for the next #EUBudget. It cuts defence as threats multiply, reduces investment in competitiveness as Europe loses ground globally, and leaves farmers and regions underfunded.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter three months, the Irish Presidency has delivered little progress, no meaningful new solutions and a weaker budget. It has reversed the European Commission\u2019s efforts to fund Europe\u2019s new priorities. Europe cannot take on greater responsibilities with fewer resources\u201d, Mure\u0219an wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n He added that the next EU budget \u201cmust be guided by political vision, not a narrow bookkeeper\u2019s mentality\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n We firmly reject the Irish Presidency\u2019s negotiating box for the next #EUBudget. It cuts defence as threats multiply, reduces investment in competitiveness as Europe loses ground globally, and leaves farmers and regions underfunded.<\/p>\n After three months, the Irish Presidency has delivered little progress, no meaningful new solutions and a weaker budget. It has reversed the European Commission\u2019s efforts to fund Europe\u2019s new priorities. Europe cannot take on greater responsibilities with fewer resources.<\/p>\n \u2014 Siegfried Muresan \ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddf4\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa (@SMuresan) October 10, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0Carla Tavares, Socialist Party MEP, has also criticised the proposed budget on X.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe 12.8% cut to competitiveness and 17.4% cut to external action risk leaving Europeans exposed, precisely when global instability is on the rise\u201d, Tavares said.\u00a0<\/p>\n