Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has unveiled a new alliance in the European Parliament, joining forces with Austria’s far-right Freedom Party and the Czech Republic’s main opposition party. This alliance, named ‘Patriots for Europe,’ aspires to attract further partners and establish itself as the dominant right-wing faction within the European Parliament.
Orbán, who has a history of challenging and opposing EU policies, travelled to Vienna to formally announce the alliance on Sunday, just a day before Hungary assumes the European Union’s rotating presidency for a six-month term. The recent European Parliament elections, held in early June, saw a rise in the influence of hard-right parties across various European nations, although their success varied from country to country. Despite this, the extent to which these parties would collaborate remained uncertain. Prior to this alliance, they were dispersed across two parliamentary groups and numerous unaffiliated parties.
Orbán’s public opposition to EU policies has frequently frustrated other member states and pushed him to the periphery of the continent’s mainstream. He views this alliance as a platform to address what he perceives as the concerns of the European populace: peace, order, and development. He criticizes the current EU leadership, represented by Brussels, for promoting war, migration, and stagnation.
The alliance aims to garner support from lawmakers in at least four additional EU countries to solidify its position as a recognized group within the parliament. Herbert Kickl, leader of the Freedom Party, highlighted the upcoming first meeting of the newly elected European Parliament in Strasbourg on July 16, emphasizing that the alliance welcomes all political forces who share their vision for positive reform. He suggested that more parties than expected are likely to join the alliance, though he declined to disclose specific names. The three party leaders declined to answer questions after their announcement.
The Freedom Party secured first place in the Austrian European Parliament election and is aiming for victory in the upcoming national election on September 29. The alliance has released a ‘patriotic manifesto for a European future’ which denounces plans for a centralized European state and advocates for prioritizing sovereignty over federalism, freedom over directives, and peace.
