Poland’s PiS MEPs reject Orbán’s offer, pick Meloni

4 months ago 20

Poland’s PiS MEPs have turned down an offer from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to join his new Patriots of Europe group, deciding instead to accept Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s offer to remain in her hard-right European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR).

The EU elections resulted in ECR becoming the third-largest group in the European Parliament, with the Polish PiS party and Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia being the two largest national parties.

ECR would lose its third position to Renew should the 20 PiS MEPs not remain in the group.

PiS politicians “are currently afraid of a right-wing turn and remain in their old EU group,” the pro-government weekly Mandiner commented on the Polish group’s decision.

“Pole and Hungarian brothers be, but Polish conservatives do not agree with Orbán,” reported RTL, referring to the famous Polish-Hungarian proverb about the two countries’ historic friendship.

On 30 June, Orbán announced together with his former Czech counterpart Andrej Babiš of the ANO party, which recently left Renew, and Herbert Kickl, leader of the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ, ID), which has the best chances of coming to power after the autumn general elections, that they would create their new group in the European Parliament, “Patriots of Europe”.

However, the three need allies to reach the threshold of MEPs and parties needed to form a group.

The rumours that Orbán is courting the PiS were confirmed last week by former Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki. If the PiS, with its large number of MEPs, were to join the Patriots of Europe, the new group would be significantly strengthened.

PiS was being tempted by Orbán while at the same time negotiating with the ECR, Morawiecki said.

In the end, Poland’s second-largest party in the European Parliament decided not to break with Meloni. Last week, Euractiv reported that PiS had reached an agreement with Meloni on the distribution of key posts within their EU political family.

PiS’s Kosma Złotowski told the Polish Press Agency (PAP) that he had been appointed co-secretary of the ECR and that Joachim Brudziński had been appointed party co-leader. The post of ECR secretary-general position will also go to a PiS MEP.

Another Polish right-wing party seeking its place in the European Parliament is the far-right Confederation, which entered the EU parliament for the first time.

Confederation MEP Anna Bryłka told Euractiv Poland last month, and confirmed earlier this week, that she did not want to cooperate with the Alternative for Germany – which currently does not belong to any group – and that her party was most interested in joining either the ECR or the far-right Identity and Democracy group.

However, Euractiv reported on Thursday that ID will likely be absorbed by the “Patriots for Europe”.

“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 within the group has already been divided between national delegations.

(Aleksandra Krzysztoszek | Euractiv.pl)