- The shape of the European right is currently determined by two women: Marine Le Pen and Giorgia Meloni
- The German AfD was kicked out of Le Pen’s political bloc, which did not please the far right in Europe. Meloni has been a vocal critic of Italy’s migration policy
- Currently, both parties say they are not anti-European and want a slightly different kind of Europe. With such a narrative, the field opens up for those who openly oppose Europe – comments by Dr. Bartlomiej Nowak
- Hungarian László Toroszái, head of the nationalist MHM party, openly calls for the creation of a new far-right in Europe. Politicians of the Polish Confederation
- Some coalitions are critical of the AfD, but no one is talking about possible coalitions in Europe
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Marine Le Pen sends a clear signal to Georgia Meloni: it’s time to join forces in the European Parliament.
Such a coalition would not yet completely change Europe’s balance of power, but it could shake up the current Socialist-Liberal-Christian Democratic status quo in parliament.
A union of two women. The fight for second place
Both women lead large right-wing factions. Le Pen is the face of Identity and Democracy (ID). The French National Rally, the Italian Northern League or the Dutch Freedom Party.
Until recently, the German AfD was also there, but their politicians’ statements that “not all SS members are criminals” were insufficient. In addition, the AfD faces serious allegations that its leading politicians received payments from Russian services for public statements against Ukraine.
The AfD’s expulsion from the ID did not please the far right in Europe. But in a little while.
Meloni is the most prominent politician of the second right-wing bloc – the Party of European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), which includes, among others. Latvian National Union, Spanish VOX, or Polish Law and Justice.
– If Le Pen and Meloni join forces, their parties will still be looking for second place in the European Parliament, not victory, notes the foundation’s expert Dr. Bartlomij Novak. Kazimierz Pulaski is a researcher at the Vistula Academy of Finance and Business, a member of Team Europe Direct, a group of experts at the European Commission.
– Merger of these sections is not possible. Le Pen and Meloni do not like each other personally. Although Meloney has recently changed his tone to a friendlier one, he adds.
Right-wing rhetoric is changing the European Parliament
The expert has no doubt that in the next term in the European Parliament, the Christian Democrats, Socialists and Liberals will have a majority. However, he believes that the growing importance of right-wing forces and right-wing rhetoric in Europe will have a concrete impact on politics and the work of European institutions. – Five years ago, Ursula von der Leyen was confirmed as president of the European Commission, but she only got nine more votes than she needed. He voted for the others: PIS. Now there may be serious problems with his appointment, he believes.
– That’s why van der Leyen has recently been making more visible moves towards right-wing groups. He gets along well with Melony. Right-wing rhetoric influences European policy in areas such as the Green Deal, migration issues, international trade and EU enlargement and reforms. The Christian Democratic PPE is moving further and further to the right, for example by openly talking about revising the Green Deal – recalls Dr Novak.
However, the European right has a problem. As in Poland, the environment is strongly divided, and the closer one gets to the right-wing political current, the more voices from the center complain about the “betrayal of ideals”. There are far-right forces in Europe who don’t like Le Pen’s AfD or Meloni’s overreaching immigration policy.
The far right accuses them of betrayal and wants the “new”.
– Meloni is already in the mainstream of European politics in many areas. Le Pen withdraws her announcements on leaving the Eurozone. Currently, both parties say they are not anti-European and want a slightly different kind of Europe. With such a narrative, the field opens up for those who openly oppose Europe – comments the Onenet interlocutor.
Hungarian Laszlo Toroczkai, leader of the nationalist MHM party, has been an outspoken critic of “mainstream” right-wing parties in Europe, criticizing their decision to expel the AfD.
According to him, both parties have not fought hard enough on the issue of migration. Unfazed by accusations against AfD politicians, Doroszkay is calling for a new bloc in Europe. Politicians of the Polish Confederation.
Dr. Novak did not really believe in the political success of such a movement.
– The AfD has the most serious scandals when it comes to allegations of taking money from Russia. In general, none of the countries have strong pro-Russian tendencies, except for Viktor Orbán in Hungary. Even in Slovakia, Robert Figo’s support was not about Russia directly, but rather its approach to the war. Pro-Russian arguments were generally unpopular across Europe. If someone takes money from the Russians, they will only have serious problems. And the second thing, the friendly slogans related to the SS, today have no support in Europe – comments Dr. Novak.
The Polish Confederation in the European Puzzle
— Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz group is a free voter in the European Parliament. This causes such controversy that right-wingers in the Czech Republic and Romania, for example, do not want to be in the same group as a group that supports Russia, he adds.
In the federation, he spoke fondly of the AfD (before the aforementioned scandals): Grzegorz Braun insists that anti-globalization ideas are the glue here. Bran didn’t pick up the phone from us today. Whether he changed his mind about German politicians is unknown.
Other coalition politicians are clearly distancing themselves from the AfD. – The AfD leader’s claim that not everyone wearing an SS uniform is a criminal means that the party has a lot to lose. These words were spoken at the end of the campaign. This party has made a fool of itself, let’s be honest. They went too far in their stories. Let’s see what the consequences will be after June 9 and how many AfD representatives will enter the European Parliament – comments Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik, spokeswoman for the Federation and politician running for the mandate for the European Parliament, Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik in an interview with Onet.
Where, I ask, is there a place for confederation in the European arena? Whether as a conglomeration of large right-wing parties or in a new structure, as others have noted, the aforementioned Toroczkai? – We will certainly cooperate with all those who protect the interests of their countries and stop the most harmful ideas of the European Union. I do not want to prejudge this matter today, because the campaign is dynamic and the final appearance of the new European Parliament could be quite different. It will be interesting to see how voters in Italy, Spain and France will account for these right-wing groups, which have become somewhat mainstream and operate under EU mandates, Zajączkowska-Hernik replied.
– Many voters in Italy may have been disillusioned with the policy of Giorgia Meloni, who built her campaign on an anti-immigrant message, but it turned out that she did not pursue a very effective policy against the uncontrolled influx of migrants across Italian borders. Adds.
I asked Krzysztof Bosak, one of the presidents of the federation, for his opinion. – We have not and have not held any talks about joining any European alliance. Bozak replied that we are waiting for the results of the European Parliament elections.