The Spanish formation of the controversial Alvise Pérez, The party is over, has received an offer from the far-right AfD investigated for alleged Russian interference to form a joint group outside of ECR and Identity and Democracy.
The radical right parties in the European Parliament these weeks are in the middle of negotiations that will define its place. There are many possibilities on the table and the Spanish agitator Alvise Pérez has the key to one of them.
How is the right organized in the European Parliament?
The latest hypothesis circulating through the corridors of Brussels is that of a total of four groups: the currents European Conservatives and Reformists (83 MEPs) e Identity and Democracy (58 MEPs), plus two new formations still in the making.
Each group needs a minimum of 23 MEPs of at least seven EU Member States, a difficult threshold but not unattainable.
For example, the German party Alternative for Germanystrong with its 15 representatives in Parliament, seems to be promoting a new group of sovereign parties together with the Poles of the Confederation of Freedom and Independence and other smaller partners, from the Spanish of The party is over (Alvise Pérez and two other MEPs) to the Romanians of SOS (two MEPs).
Even very small delegations would make it possible to reach the threshold of the necessary seven countries: the two Slovaks in Republicthe Greek MEP from Nike (Victoria) and the Hungarian Our Homeland Movement.
The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who after several contacts with the ECR has rejoined the group, it also seems in a position to form one of its own, with strong eastern traction.
In addition to his own party, Fidesz, would include the Slovaks of Prime Minister Robert Fico’s Smer (expelled in the last legislature of the socialists and democrats), the Czechs of the Alliance of Disgruntled Citizenswho have just abandoned Renew Europe, and the Slovenians of the Democratic Partythat they would first have to leave the European People’s Party.
These four parties alone would guarantee the minimum number of MEPs necessary, while the threshold of countries of origin could be reached thanks to the entry of MEPs from other parties currently not affiliated with any political group: there are Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Why is the far right divided in Europe?
In any case, the radical right division in different groups does not necessarily dampen their impact on the balance of Parliament. Apart from the question of war in ukraine and whether or not it should be provided military aid to the kyiv Governmentthe forces of this political sector are rather in agreement on the rest: hard line against irregular immigrationopposition to the measures of the Green Deal and to any further integration of the EU that may reduce the powers of national states.
The balance of power radical right in Brussels It also closely affects the fate of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, which with 83 MEPs has become the third largest in the European Parliament after incorporating five members of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians party.
The constituent meeting of the group, canceled
But the group’s constituent meeting was initially postponed and It was canceled this Wednesdayafter the members of the Polish Law and Justice party (PiS), the second largest of the group, did not turn out in sufficient numbers, indicating divisions over the future direction of the party. The group is scheduled to meet again on July 3.
Identity and Democracyfor its part, was open to the formation of a right-wing “supergroup”, in which both factions could merge to exercise greater political influencein Brussels.
The main political knot refers to the presidency of the European Commissionwhich according to agreement negotiated between the three main political families in Parliamentpopular, socialist and liberal, will continue to be entrusted to Ursula von der Leyen.
The party led by Giorgia Meloni could support the candidacy of the current president, perhaps in exchange for a vice-presidency of the Commission or, in any case, an important portfolio for the future Italian commissioner.
A dilemma facing the next legislature…
The Polish party, on the other hand, is firmly opposed. In more general terms, ECR seems to face a dilemma of approach for the next legislature: whether or not to increase cooperation with the European People’s Party or, on the contrary, maintain the most extreme positions typical of the radical right. Especially if other groups emerge on the right, it will be more difficult for popular, socialists and liberals to apply a “cordon sanitaire” towards ECR.
While some delegations are clearly in favor of the collaboration hypothesis, as Brother of Italy and the Swedish Democrats, PiS would still be discussing the internal line. According to parliamentary sources, it is not ruled out that the Polish party will leave the group.
