Group for the European Parliament - Orban wants to forge right-wing party alliance
One day before assuming the presidency of the European Union (EU) in the European Parliament, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced the founding of a new right-wing faction in the parliament.
The grouping "Patriots for Europe" would include besides the Hungarian ruling party Fidesz, the right-wing Austrian FPO, and the liberal-populist Czech ANO, Orban stated in Vienna in the presence of FPO chief Herbert Kickl and ANO chairman Andrej Babis. The alliance would be open for further parties that acknowledge the "Patriotic Manifesto" signed by the three party leaders.
Orban: "A new era begins"
With the hoped-for addition to the "Patriots," the grouping would become the "largest faction of right-wing forces in Europe," Orban continued. "A new era begins," he added. The new faction would change Europe "even against the will of Brussels elites." The "Patriotic Manifesto" contains the familiar positions of right-wing, right-populist, and far-right parties: rejection of migration and the "Green Deal," no support for Ukraine under attack from Russia, and dismantling integration in the EU to strengthen the sovereignty of national states.
"This alliance should serve as a launchpad," said FPO chief Kickl. Babis, the ANO chairman and former Czech prime minister, declared that the new faction in the European Parliament would primarily focus on the defense of national state sovereignty against the EU, the fight against illegal migration, and the withdrawal of climate measures from the "Green Deal."
They need 23 MPs from 7 countries to form their own faction
The opposition parties FPO, ANO, and Fidesz received the most votes in their respective EU elections in their countries. Fidesz will provide eleven MPs in the new European Parliament, ANO seven, and the FPO six. Together, they thus have 24 of the 705 representatives in this EU body. To form a faction, at least 23 MPs from seven countries are required.
Neither Orban nor Kickl nor Babis indicated which parties from which countries might join the new faction. There are many points of contact content-wise between Fidesz and FPO, particularly with the AfD, which was expelled from the right-wing ID faction just before the European election.
Favorable signals from the AfD camp
AfD chairman Tino Chrupalla declined to comment on Orban's plans when asked at the AfD party conference in Essen. However, during the opening match of the European Football Championship in Munich, he took a selfie with Orban in the stadium and shared it on his Instagram channel.
AfD European Parliament member Marc Jongen expressed himself favorably in the German public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk. "If it were up to me, we would be very happy to join this faction," he said. The "Patriotic Manifesto" could be signed by his party "immediately." In terms of content, they are "very close to Orban," and they are working on "establishing a formal cooperation in the future."
Article 7 proceedings against Hungary
Hungary takes over the half-yearly presidency of the EU on Monday. Orban, who has ruled the country for 14 years, is controversial in the EU. Critics argue that, under the pretext of "sovereign government action," he has dismantled the rule of law and democracy in Hungary, thereby violating the spirit and letter of the European Treaties, the founding documents of the EU. This includes bringing central sectors of the economy, such as banks and the telecom sector, under the control of oligarchs close to him.
There is an ongoing Article-7 procedure against Hungary due to various flagrant breaches, which could result in the withdrawal of voting rights in the EU. Furthermore, the EU is withholding several billion euros in funding that would be due to Hungary, whose payment has been suspended due to the EU's rule of law mechanism. As head of government of the presidency country, Orban cannot intervene in these proceedings. He has some leeway in setting agendas and guiding debates in EU summit meetings.
Fidesz promotes conspiracy theories
The Fidesz delegation, led by Orban, was once again isolated in the European Parliament after being expelled from the European People's Party (EPP) faction, which includes the CDU and CSU, due to years of disputes. Orban's attempt to house his Fidesz MEPs in the European Conservative and Reformist (ECR) group after the European election failed due to the opposition of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The dominant forces in the ECR, Meloni's Fratelli d'Italia and the Polish PiS, find Orban's proximity to Russia unacceptable.
Orban and Fidesz openly advocate positions on the extreme right wing of the European party spectrum, including the conspiracy theory of the "population exchange": It is claimed that "global elites," among them the Hungarian-born US billionaire and philanthropist George Soros, are deliberately promoting immigration of Muslims to Europe to deprive European peoples of their "Christian and national identity." There is no evidence to support this claim.
- The new right-wing faction, dubbed "Patriots for Europe," aims to challenge the dominance of Brussels elites in Europe, as announced by Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
- This alliance in the European Parliament will be led by the Hungarian ruling party Fidesz, the Austrian FPO, and the liberal-populist Czech ANO, according to Orban.
- The "Patriotic Manifesto," signed by Orban, Kickl, and Babis, outlines the shared positions of the three parties, including rejection of migration and the "Green Deal."
- FPO chief Herbert Kickl sees the alliance as a launchpad for defending national sovereignty against the EU and fighting against illegal immigration.
- With the addition of these parties, the new faction aims to become the largest right-wing force in Europe, Orban stated.
- To form a faction in the European Parliament, at least 23 MPs from seven countries are required, and the opposition parties FPO, ANO, and Fidesz meet this requirement.
- The AfD, which was expelled from the right-wing ID faction, could potentially join the new faction, favorable signals suggest.
- AfD chairman Tino Chrupalla did not comment on Orban's plans but shared a selfie with Orban during the Euro 2020 championship.
- Germany's CDU and CSU, part of the EPP faction, find Orban's proximity to Russia unacceptable, resulting in Orban and Fidesz's isolation in the European Parliament.
- Hungary faces ongoing Article-7 proceedings due to perceived breaches of the rule of law, with critics questioning Orban's control of various sectors of the Hungarian economy.
- Orban's Fidesz delegation was also expelled from the European People's Party faction due to years of disputes.
- Orban and Fidesz promote conspiracy theories, including the "population exchange" theory, which holds that global elites, including George Soros, intentionally promote Muslim immigration to Europe to displace European people and identity.
