Patriots for Europe explained
Patriots for Europe (PfE or Patriots) is a right-wing to far-right sovereigntist political group, formed as the third-largest group ahead of the tenth European Parliament.
The group includes all but one member from the Identity and Democracy group. The group could also coordinate the work of its members at the European Council and the Council of the European Union.[1]
History
Formation
Fidesz had been unaffiliated at the European level since leaving the European People's Party Group (EPP Group) in March 2021. ANO MEPs belonged to the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party and its affiliated Renew Europe group since 2011, but left both organisations after the 2024 European Parliament elections, citing disagreements with the party's programme. The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) belonged to the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group during the ninth term (2019–2024).[2]
On 30 June 2024, the founding of the group was announced at a press conference in Vienna by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (Fidesz), former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO 2011), and former Austrian Minister of the Interior Herbert Kickl and MEP Harald Vilimsky (both Freedom Party of Austria).[3] [4] [5] Representatives of the three founding parties signed "A Patriotic Manifesto for a European Future",[6] [7] [8] setting out the alliance's ideological positions, including weakening the EU, a focus on European cultural identity, opposition to illegal immigration, and a revision of the European Green Deal.[9]
The Hungarian Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP), which has 1 MEP, also announced its intention to join the alliance following its exit from the EPP Group. On 1 July, the nationalist Portuguese party Chega, with two MEPs, became the fourth member of the Patriots for Europe.[10] [11] On 5 July, the Spanish Vox party also joined, leaving the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group.[12] The same day, the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV), formerly part of the ID Group, also announced it would join.[13] On 6 July, the Danish People's Party and Vlaams Belang, both part of the ID group, announced they would also join, bringing the group above the minimum number of member states required for an official European Parliament group.[14] [15] On 8 July, the National Rally (RN) and Lega were announced as new members of the group.[16] [17] The prerequisite for establishing a political group of the European Parliament is the membership of at least 23 MEPs from at least seven EU member states. The alliance met this criterion on 6 July 2024.[18] According to Le Monde, the RN waited until after the second round of the 2024 French legislative election for the announcement "for fear of reviving suspicion of pro-Russian sympathies".
10th European Parliament (2024–present)
On 8 July, Jordan Bardella, president of the French National Rally (RN), was named as the group's president.[19] [20]
MEPs
10th European Parliament
See main article: List of members of the European Parliament (2024–2029).
Potential members
Speculative members
Parties being speculated as possible members of the new EU Group include:[25] [26] [27]
Previously speculated members
- Germany: Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has 15 MEPs (formerly part of the ID Group). However, due to previous tension between Fidesz and AfD, this was seen as unlikely,[32] with the AfD stating it had no current plans to join.[33] AfD expressed interest in creating a group including Hungarian Fidesz rival Our Homeland Movement and the Bulgarian Revival. These parties eventually established a separate far-right grouping, Europe of Sovereign Nations.[34]
- Poland: Law and Justice (PiS), which won 20 MEPs, initially negotiated with the Patriots for Europe, but later reached an agreement with Brothers of Italy allowing it to remain in the European Conservatives and Reformists.[35]
- Slovakia: Republic Movement, with two MEPs, expressed interest in membership,[36] but subsequently joined Europe of Sovereign Nations on 10 July.[37]
- Slovakia: Smer–SD was speculated to join the alliance with its five MEPs; however, according to its junior coalition partner, Hlas–SD, Smer–SD expressed a preference for rejoining the S&D group.[38] Although it was later rejected from S&D,<ref>News: HARZER. FILIP. Europoslanci Směru dali vale socialistům, mluví se o námluvách s Patrioty. Seznam Zprávy. 10 July 2024. 10 July 2024. cs. the party declined to join Patriots for Europe, citing ideological differences.[39]
Organization
Bureau
2024–present
Group bureau during the 10th European Parliament.[40]
See also
Notes and References
- News: Orban's new Patriots for Europe group is targeting the council, not the parliament. euobserver. 1 July 2024. 8 July 2024.
- Web site: 'Patriots for Europe': Hungary's Orban announces new EU Parliament alliance . 2024-07-01 . Al Jazeera.
- Web site: Hungary: Orban announces new far-right European alliance – DW – 06/30/2024 . 2024-07-01 . Deutsche Welle.
- News: . 2024-06-30 . Patrioti pro Evropu. ANO, Fidesz a FPÖ zakládají novou politickou alianci . 2024-07-01 . Deník. cs.
- Web site: 2024-06-30 . Vlastenci pro Evropu. ANO, Fidesz a Svobodná strana Rakouska zakládají politickou alianci . 2024-07-01 . iROZHLAS . cs.
- Web site: „Patriotisches Manifest – Erklärung mit Herbert Kickl, Viktor Orbán, Andrej Babiš & Harald Vilimsky". Freedom Party of Austria. Vienna. 30 June 2024. 1 July 2024.
- Web site: „Patrioten für Europa“: Kickl (FPÖ), Orbán (Fidesz), Babiš (ANO) gaben Startschuss für neue patriotische Allianz!. Freedom Party of Austria. Vienna. 30 June 2024. 1 July 2024.
- Web site: VLASTENECKÝ MANIFEST PRO EVROPSKOU BUDOUCNOST". Andrej Babiš. Vienna. 30 June 2024. 1 July 2024. Facebook. cs.
- Web site: 2024-06-30 . Babiš, Orbán a Kickl zakládají vlasteneckou alianci. 2024-07-01 . Novinky.cz. cs. Borgis.
- Web site: 2024-07-01 . Extrema-direita portuguesa junta-se à aliança "Patriotas pela Europa" de Viktor Orbán . 2024-07-01 . euronews . pt.
- Web site: 2024-07-01 . Portugal's Chega party to join Orbán's new far-right alliance . 2024-07-01 . POLITICO.
- Web site: Vox leaves Meloni's ECR for Orban's new 'Patriots'. Ansa.it. 5 July 2024.
- Web site: x.com. July 7, 2024.
- Web site: x.com. July 7, 2024.
- Web site: x.com. July 7, 2024.
- Web site: x.com. July 8, 2024.
- Web site: x.com. July 8, 2024.
- News: Sajó . Dávid . A Dán Néppárt is csatlakozik Orbánék európai pártcsoportjához, megvan a szükséges létszám a frakcióhoz . 6 July 2024 . Telex . 6 July 2024.
- News: Fortuna. Gerardo. Far-right Patriots group springs to third force in European Parliament. Euronews. 8 July 2024. 8 July 2024.
- News: Patriots for Europe becomes EU parliament’s 3rd-largest group, picks Jordan Bardella as president. Politico Europe. 8 July 2024. 8 July 2024.
- Web site: MEPs by Member State and political group . 17 July 2024.
- Web site: MEP: Nikola BARTŮŠEK . 16 July 2024 . . 19 July 2024.
- Web site: MEP: Filip TUREK . 16 July 2024 . . 19 July 2024.
- Web site: EU Member Parties. 2024-07-29. ECR Party.
- Web site: Scheffer . Joakim . 2024-07-01 . The EP's Potentially Strongest Right-Wing Group — Who Could Join PM Orbán's Patriots for Europe? . 2024-07-01 . Hungarian Conservative.
- Web site: 2024-07-01 . Portugal's far right joins Orbán's 'Patriots for Europe' alliance . 2024-07-01 . Euronews.
- Web site: Zachová . Aneta . 2024-06-30 . Orbán, Babiš, Kickl create new "patriotic" alliance to redefine EU policies, eye new Parliament group . 2024-07-01 . Euractiv.
- Web site: ADAMCZYK . GRZEGORZ . 3 July 2024 . Confederation MEP rules out alliance with Germany's AfD, eyes other European groups . Remix.
- News: TV24. Konfederacja podzielona w europarlamencie? Źródło: troje z AfD, dwoje z Orbanem, a z Braunem nikt nie rozmawia. 9 July 2024.
- News: Brussels Signal. Polish Konfederacja split between Patriots and Sovereigntists in European Parliament. 10 July 2024.
- Web site: Dlhopolec . Peter . Eisenchteter . Jules . Ciobanu . Claudia . Watson . Nicholas . Democracy Digest: Hungary Centre Stage as EU Presidency Begins and PM Visits Kyiv . Balkan Insight . 2024-07-05 . 2024-08-05.
- Web site: Benakis . Theodoros . 2024-07-01 . Far-right AfD eyes Orbán's new group in the European Parliament . 2024-07-05 . European Interest.
- Web site: Stellmacher. John. 2024-07-01 . New European right-wing alliance initially without AfD . 2024-07-05 . aussiedlerbote.de.
- Web site: Starcevic. Seb. Wax. Eddy. 2024-07-10 . New far-right group led by Germany’s AfD founded in European Parliament . 2024-07-10 . POLITICO.
- Web site: Genovese. Vincenzo. Poland's Law and Justice says no to Orbán's Patriots and stays with Meloni's group in EU Parliament. Yahoo News. 3 July 2024.
- Web site: Zmušková . Barbara . Griera . Max . 8 July 2024 . Orbán v europarlamente zabodoval. Patrioti pre Európu môžu mať reálnu moc . Euractiv . sk.
- Web site: Liboreiro. Jorge. Genovese. Vincenzo. AfD and allies form new far-right group in Brussels called Europe of Sovereign Nations. Euronews. 10 July 2024.
- Web site: Scheffer . Joakim . 2024-07-01 . The EP's Potentially Strongest Right-Wing Group — Who Could Join PM Orbán's Patriots for Europe . 2024-07-02 . Hungarian Conservative.
- Web site: Silenská. Natália. Fico’s Smer will not join new Patriots for Europe group, cites ideological divide. Euractiv. 12 July 2024.
- Web site: Patriots for Europe become the third largest group in the European Parliament. Agenparl. 2024-07-08. 2024-07-08.