European Parliament - Wilders party joins EU right-wing alliance around Orban
The planned new faction of right-wing parties in the European Parliament of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is continuing to gain support. After Spanish Vox, the Dutch radical-right party of Geert Wilders intends to be part of it as well. Wilders announced this on X. "We want to bundle our forces and proudly join the patriots for Europe", wrote the head of the Freedom Party (PVV) in a message.
Wilders' party had won the parliamentary elections in the Netherlands in the previous November and is now the strongest partner in a right-wing coalition government of a total of four parties. In the European elections the previous month, the PVV had won six seats in the EU Parliament.
So far, besides Vox, the Austrian FPO under party leader Herbert Kickl, the liberal-populist Czech ANO of Andrej Babis, and the Portuguese Chega have announced their intention to join the new right-wing extremist fraction. With Wilders' announcement, the new fraction would have deputies from six countries - required for a faction status in the European Parliament is the membership of deputies from at least seven countries.
AfD sees itself "in friendly relations"
AfD chairwoman Alice Weidel ruled out the attachment of her party's delegation to the planned Fidesz faction on Tuesday. They are in contact, but that is not an option at the moment. She spoke of a long-term strategic project.
"We are in friendly relations, we have incredible common denominators, but both parties are subject to political and also foreign policy and foreign economic pressures, which we currently have to take into account", said the AfD chairwoman in response to the question of whether her party would not have wanted to be part of this alliance.
If "the incoming Austrian government leader, Mr. Kickl", decides to form a government coalition with Fidesz in Hungary, that would be a coalition of ruling parties. "We have to first take care of our own business", said Weidel. In Austria, elections will be held in the fall. FPO leader Herbert Kickl could become the new Federal Chancellor. Orban, Kickl, and Babis formed the "Patriots for Europe" alliance at the weekend in Vienna.
In the AfD leadership, the theory is being circulated that the German government could prevent Orban from acting as Hungarian Prime Minister and thus hinder cooperation with the AfD. There is talk of "pressure potential". This is running behind the scenes, is not provable, but not a conspiracy theory, it is said.
- Geert Wilders' intention to join the right-wing faction in the European Parliament, led by Viktor Orban, was announced on X.
- Wilders' PVV, having won the parliamentary elections in the Netherlands, is now the strongest partner in a right-wing coalition government.
- In the European elections, the PVV had secured six seats in the EU Parliament.
- Besides Vox, the Austrian FPO under Herbert Kickl, the Czech ANO of Andrej Babis, and the Portuguese Chega, the new right-wing extremist fraction aims to include Wilders' party.
- With Wilders' announcement, the new fraction would have deputies from six countries, meeting the requirement for a faction status in the European Parliament.
- Alice Weidel, the AfD chairwoman, ruled out the attachment of her party's delegation to the planned Fidesz faction on Tuesday.
- Weidel mentioned that both the AfD and Fidesz are subject to political and foreign policy pressures, which they have to consider.
- If Herbert Kickl, the FPO leader in Austria, forms a government coalition with Fidesz in Hungary, that would be a coalition of ruling parties.
- In Austria, elections will be held in the fall, and Kickl could become the new Federal Chancellor.
- In the AfD leadership, there's a theory that the German government could hinder Orban from acting as Hungarian Prime Minister, thereby hindering cooperation with the AfD.
- Some suggest that there's a "pressure potential" being applied behind the scenes to hinder Orban, but it's not provable and not a conspiracy theory.
- Lastly, the planned new faction of right-wing parties in the EU Parliament, with Orban, Kickl, and Babis as prominent members, continues to gain support from various European political parties.
