Prague (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Czech MEP Ondřej Dostál revealed in an interview that a new conservative left-wing coalition is in the process of forming in the EU Parliament, with the potential of officially being appointed within a year.
“I am happy to inform you that we are already having a coordination meeting with Germans, Slovaks, and us,” Dostál said, referring to the three non-attached groups that would constitute the new alliance – Czech MEPs from the coalition Stačilo! (Enough!), Germany’s BSW (Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht), and Slovakia’s Smer.
What Are Ondřej Dostál’s Plans for the Emerging EU Alliance?
This rising group is trying to distance itself from the progressive left, concentrating instead on more traditional left-wing values such as employees’ rights, peace, and economic stability.
“We will not form a group yet. We expect that to happen maybe within a year, depending on the other colleagues from other countries,” Dostál presented. “We can at least join forces of our political delegations regarding opinions on voting, common positions, and the cooperation of assistants on highly expert matters,” Dostál said.
Between the informed parties, there would be already 13 MEPs – two from Stačilo! (Enough!), six from BSW and five from Smer. Once a member of the S&D group, Smer had its membership discontinued when, in October 2023, it formed a coalition government with the far-right Slovak National Party.
Can Dostál’s Coalition Reach the 25 MEP Threshold in the EU?
EU rules need a political group to comprise at least 25 MEPs from seven member nations to form a group in the European Parliament. Dostál is sure that this threshold can be reached. “Both can be achieved,” he said.
Questioned what other parties this new formation might attract, Dostál only indicated potential partners in the “European South”. Dostál is also sure that national elections across Europe will further boost backing for conservative left-wing political parties, citing the recent electoral success of Sahra Wagenknecht’s group in the German states of Saxony and Thuringia.
How Does the Coalition View Migration and Climate Policy in the EU?
The rising conservative left-wing alliance parties share critical positions on several critical issues. On migration, they support stricter controls, with Wagenknecht’s BSW claiming that Germany’s infrastructure is dominated by the current influx, a view shared by other parties in the bloc. On Russia and Ukraine, the alliance is forcing diplomatic solutions and opposes continued arms supplies to Ukraine. These parties are wary of climate policy, particularly the EU’s Green Deal, catching it as a threat to jobs and industries dependent on traditional energy sectors.
