Orbán´s ‘Patriots’ on track to become third force in EU Parliament with Le Pen

4 months ago 22

The new Patriots for Europe group looks set to become the third largest political force in the European Parliament, joining Spain’s VOX party, which is leaving the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), and with Marine Le Pen’s party, Rassemblement National (RN), who are also likely to join too.

Since the European Elections in early June, the parliament’s groups have been scrambling to win over members of the European Parliament (MEPs) ahead of the upcoming mandate.

“Every day there will be some news, but our expectations are, that very quickly [Patriots for Europe] is going to be the third largest party,” Balázs Orbán, close advisor to Viktor Orbán, told Euractiv. His comments come after the announcement of a new group caused much commotion on the right side of the hemicycle last week.

Austria’s far-right leader, Herbert Kickl (FPÖ), Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (Fidesz), and former Czech leader Andrej Babiš (ANO) revealed a new political alliance called ‘Patriots for Europe’, on Sunday 30 June.

Spanish party VOX, currently part of ECR, decided to leave Giorgia Meloni’s political family and join the new formation, they announced, on Friday 5 July.

With this move, the new group totals 29 MEPs from four member states, but are still missing three additional member states to form an official political group in the European Parliament.

According to people close to the negotiations, the ID group of Marine Le Pen is expected to merge with the Patriots within the coming days. This would push the combined total to as many as 86 MEPs, should all the members of the ID choose to join.

If the merger goes ahead, the new group would become the third largest force in the parliament.

It would put the Patriots ahead of both ECR, now at 78 MEPs, and the liberal Renew Europe group, currently at 76 MEPs.

“Le Pen, Orbán, and other delegations reached a deal before last Sunday that ID would cease to exist to create the new one,” a well-informed MEP confirmed to Euractiv, pointing out that the package of high-level jobs among the various delegations, was decided as part of the deal.

Following the French elections results on Sunday evening, new developments are expected on Monday 8 July, before European parliamentary leaders meet to negotiate and agree on the final leadership positions.

Asked whether he expects Le Pen to join the new grouping, Orbán said: “It’s their decision and they will make the decision after [Sunday’s] election.”

*Max Griera contributed to reporting

[Edited by Aurélie Pugnet/Alexandra Brzozowski/Rajnish Singh]