Plan to announce new far-right group “The Sovereignists” imminent

2 months ago 9

A new far-right parliamentary group, allegedly named “The Sovereignists,” is being formed in the European Parliament, led by Germany’s AfD and aiming to gather various nationalist parties across Europe, according to multiple sources and media reports.

Work on establishing the group is in the final stages, according to an email seen by Euractiv and first reported by Der Spiegel, which also requests a location in the European Parliament to host a “constituent meeting of a new group”.

In the run-up to the European elections, rumours swirled around Brussels about a broad far-right alliance between the hard-right conservatives of ECR around Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and the far-right ID group, now mainly led by the French Rassemblement National of Marine Le Pen.

Now, it looks like the right might go in the opposite direction by splitting into three separate groups.

Several internal splits and strategic realignments within the continent’s far-right factions led to this: the Alternative for Germany (AfD), kicked out of ID, is looking for new partners; ECR grew with new members, including Romanian AUR, with whom Hungary’s Fidesz does not want to collaborate; and ID, led by Marine Le Pen with eyes on the French presidential election, is looking to rebrand.

The request to host a constitutive meeting confirmed information obtained by Euractiv last week that a new far-right parliamentary group will be announced within the next few days.

An aide of the AfD inquired the European Parliament about a room “for this great meeting” holding around 100 guests on Thursday, 27 June, planning to announce the formation of a new parliamentary group, also in line with what Der Spiegel first reported.

However, an AfD source explained that “nothing is set in stone [yet], everything is open,” as apparently not everyone within AfD is happy with the idea to form such a fringe-group, after being kicked out of the ID, following several scandals during the election campaign.

The new group is rumoured to be called “The Sovereignists”, reminiscent of the offer to the AfD by the Bulgarian far-right Vazrazhdane, who just won three seats, to join it in a “truly conservative and sovereignist” group.

Parties who are possible candidates include Spanish newcomer-party ‘Se Acabó La Fiesta’ (SALF, ‘The Party is Over’), which won three seats by promising “to blow up the system”. However, a second source from the German far-rights expressed that, to their knowledge, the Spanish delegation had not been contacted yet.

János Árgyelán, deputy secretary general of the Hungarian Our Homeland Movement, confirmed to Euractiv over the weekend that they are “in the middle of talks” with the AfD without going into further details. While the Hungarian far-rights could add one member, counting towards the required number of delegations, not everyone is convinced that the party’s extreme views are comparable with the future group, as the first source explained.

The Slovakian Republic Movement and SOS Romania, with two seats each and one member of NIKH from Greece, are additional candidates.

Asked by Euractiv last week, MEP Anna Bryłka from the Polish Konfederacja was sceptical about joining a new far-right group under the leadership of the AfD, “even if there are some plans and will to create such a group”.

During the election campaign, experts accounted for such a possible alliance, potentially adding another six politicians to the group. According to information available to Euractiv, the Polish party, however, has an enticing offer by the still-standing ID group on the table.

Another addition could be Reconquête’s Sarah Knafo, partner of party founder Éric Zemmour, who did not join the ECR, unlike her former colleagues.

In addition to these parties, disgruntled members of the ECR and ID could join, as they might disagree with the attempt to move both groups closer to the centre.

Even though the German AfD will bring in 14 lawmakers, the group seems to have a couple of uncertainties to solve until Thursday to reach the required 23 members and especially to secure at least seven delegations from different countries to be qualified as a group.

[Edited by Aurélie Pugnet/Alice Taylor]