In the European Parliament, another far-right faction led by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) was formed in the European Parliament under the name Europe of Sovereign Nations, which is even more radical than the ideologically similar Patriots for Europe faction led by the French National Assembly.
The group has 25 deputies, in addition to the AfD, it was joined by the Polish party Confederation, Freedom and Independence, the Bulgarian Revival, the French Reconquest, the Slovak Republican Movement, the Hungarian Movement Naša Domovina, the Lithuanian Union of People and Justice and the Czech party Freedom and Direct Democracy, writes "Politico".
A "sanitary cordon" of leftists and centrists is expected
Previously, on July 8, Marine Le Pen's National Rally and Viktor Orbán's Fidesz joined forces to form the Patriots for Europe group in Strasbourg.
Centrist and left-wing political groups are expected to impose a "sanitary cordon" on both new groups and block their members from holding any positions of influence for the next five years.
The so-called sovereignists will be the smallest grouping in the EP and will have a very limited influence on the legislation of the European Union.
The goal is a significant impact on the future of Europe
AfD found itself in a no-man's land on the European political scene when, on the eve of the EP elections, it was excluded from the Identity and Democracy group, which gathered right-wing parties in the previous convocation.
The occasion was the interview of AfD high-ranking official Maximilian Krach to the Italian "Republica" in which he more or less said that the SS units were not really that terrible. It was too much for the National Rally, especially since France on June 10 marked the 80th anniversary of the most terrible crime committed by the SS. After that, Marine Le Pen insisted that the AfD be expelled from the right-wing grouping, as well as that it cannot join the newly formed faction of the European Patriots.
Krach then publicly rejoiced at the formation of the Europe of Sovereign Nations faction, saying that it was the culmination of a project he had been working on for a long time, but after a controversial interview, the top of the AfD and on the German political scene pushed him aside.
The co-presidents of the most extreme right-wing group in the EP are René Aust from the AfD and Stanislav Tiska from the Confederation.
"We have come together because we share the goal of having a significant impact on the political future of Europe through decisive action and strategic planning," Aust said. Their vision is a strong and united Europe, but made up of "fatherlands", meaning a European Union in which part of the sovereignty they gave up for the sake of equality and unity will be returned to the national states.
Source: Politiko
