Orban and Kickl announce foundation of new far-right group in the EU Parliament

Orban and Kickl announce foundation of new far-right group in the EU Parliament

"We assume the responsibility of launching this new platform and new faction," Orban stated to the journalists. The new alliance needs the support of parties from four further countries to be recognized as a fraction in the EU-Parliament. Right-wing populist parties made significant gains in several countries during the European election in early June.

Orban's Fidesz-Party remained the strongest force in Hungary despite significant vote losses. In the EU-Parliament, it is currently without a fraction. The FPO (Freedom Party of Austria) has been part of the Right-Wing Identity and Democracy (ID) fraction so far. Other parties from the right-wing spectrum, such as the ultraright Fratelli d'Italia party of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, are united in the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) fraction in the EU-Parliament.

The AfD (Alternative for Germany) was expelled from the ID fraction just before the EU election. Its chairwoman Alice Weidel had told the news agency AFP in mid-June that her party would seek new alliance partners in the European Parliament if they were expelled from the ID fraction. She was "quite optimistic" about this endeavor.

Orban takes over as Hungarian Prime Minister on Monday to assume the rotating EU Council Presidency. For the six-month presidency, he has chosen the slogan "Make Europe Great Again" (Make Europe Great Again) - inspired by the campaign slogan of the former US President Donald Trump "Make America Great Again".

Orban advocates an anti-immigration stance and is considered an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Europe's billion-dollar military aid for Ukraine is decisively rejected by him.

1. Andrei Babis, the Czech Prime Minister, expressed his support for Viktor Orban in his efforts to form a new faction in the European Parliament.
2. During the European elections, Herbert Kickl's Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) was part of the Right-Wing Identity and Democracy (ID) fraction, aligning with Orban's Fidesz party.
3. The European elections resulted in significant gains for right-wing populist parties, including Fidesz in Hungary and the FPÖ in Austria.
4. The new faction, if recognized by the European Parliament, would provide a platform for Orban, Babis, and other right-wing leaders, including Kickl, to influence EU policy.
5. The EU Parliament in Vienna will be a significant arena for this new right-wing faction, as it seeks to influence European policies on immigration, military aid, and other issues.
6. Orban's Fidesz party, despite losing significant votes in the European elections, remains a dominant force within the right-wing faction in Europe.
7. The expulsion of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) from the ID fraction ahead of the EU elections opened up an opportunity for Orban and his allies to strengthen their position in the EU Parliament.
8. The new faction, if established, would aim to promote a right-wing agenda, potentially opposing EU policies on migration, military aid, and other issues aligned with Orban's stance.
9. On Sunday, Orban is expected to face protests in Vienna as he begins his tenure as President of the EU Council, with critics accusing him of undermining European values and democratic norms.

Read also:

• This will change in July
• Shift in appetite for dairy: From cultural norms to moral conversations
• This will change in December
• Dikes withstand water masses so far - Scholz holds out the prospect of help