Brussels – A new far-right parliamentary body, named “The Sovereignists,” is being created in the European Parliament, guided by Germany’s AfD and aiming to gather various nationalist groups across Europe, according to multiple sources and media reports.
How Will AfD Lead the New Far-Right Group?
Work on specifying the group is in the final stages, according to a report by Der Spiegel. In the run-up to the European elections, rumours stirred around Brussels about a broad far-right association between the hard-right conservatives of ECR around Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and the far-right ID group, now largely led by the French Rassemblement National of Marine Le Pen.
Several internal divisions and strategic realignments within the continent’s far-right factions led to this: the Alternative for Germany (AfD), thrown out of ID, is looking for new partners; ECR expanded with new members, including Romanian AUR, with whom Hungary’s Fidesz does not want to cooperate; and ID, led by Marine Le Pen with sights on the French presidential election, is looking to rebrand.
What Is the Significance of the Meeting on June 27?
An aide of the AfD asked the European Parliament about a room “for this great meeting” holding about 100 guests, on 27 June, planning to promote the formation of a new parliamentary group, also in line with what Der Spiegel first said.
However, an AfD source clarified that “nothing is set in stone [yet], everything is open,” as not everyone within AfD is comfortable with the idea of forming such a frame, after being kicked out of the ID, following several humiliations during the election campaign.
How Are Far-Right Parties Realigning in the EU Parliament?
The new group is whispered to be called “The Sovereignists”, reminiscent of the offer to the AfD by the Bulgarian far-right Vazrazhdane, who just succeeded three seats, to join it in a “truly conservative and sovereignist” group. Parties who are likely candidates include the Spanish beginner party‘ Se Acabó La Fiesta’ (SALF, ‘The Party is Over’), which won three seats by pledging “to blow up the system”. However, a second source from the German far-rights said that, to their knowledge, the Spanish delegation had not been contacted yet.
János Árgyelán, deputy secretary general of the Hungarian Our Homeland Movement, established over the weekend that they are “in the middle of talks” with the AfD without going into additional details. While the Hungarian far-rights could add one member, counting towards the needed number of delegations, not everyone is persuaded that the party’s extreme views are identical with the future group, as the first source explained.
During the election movement, experts accounted for such a potential alliance, potentially adding another six politicians to the group. According to the data available, the Polish party, however, has an enticing proposition from the still-standing ID group on the table.
