European Parliament could soon have a new far-right group, led by AfD
The European Parliament might soon have another far-right group vehemently opposed to the Green Deal, migration and European integration, just days after the emergence of Viktor Orbán's Patriots for Europe.
The formation could host the likes of Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), Poland's Konfederacja, and Spain's Se Acabó La Fiesta (SALF), together with some individual lawmakers from Greece and Bulgaria, according to a parliamentary source who spoke to Euronews on condition of anonymity.
Neither of these far-right forces currently belong to one of the European Parliament's seven established political groups.
Another addition could be Czechia's Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD). Its chairman, Tomio Okamura, said the new group would be named "Europe of Sovereign Nations" and be formally announced on Wednesday in Brussels. He confirmed the participation of SPD and AfD but did not mention any other prospective member.
With 15 MEPs, AfD would be the dominant voice.
"We took advantage of offers favourable to us," Okamura said at a press conference in Prague, according to local media.
"The program is based on ideologies – it is against the Green Deal, against migration, but it is explicitly mentioned there that it is also against the Islamisation of Europe. We want the powers of Brussels to return to the national level."
Forming a group in the European Parliament requires a minimum of 23 MEPs from at least seven member states, which means SPD and AfD would need another five national delegations.
Poland's Konfederacja, a coalition that is staunchly anti-LGBT, anti-feminism and anti-abortion, appears to be a suitable candidate. However, its six MEPs belong to three different parties and it's not clear if all of them would join.
Spain's Se Acabó La Fiesta (SALF), a self-proclaimed "anti-establishment" party led by social media influencer Alvise Pérez, could bring an additional three lawmakers.
SOS Romania would also fit in due to its ultra-nationalist, Eurosceptic views. However, AfD is opposed to the integration of SOS Romania.
"I had a discussion with the SOS representatives and we unanimously decided not to accept them into the group. I would prefer not to discuss the reasons for the rejection," AfD MEP Cristine Andreson said last month.
The concerns centre on Diana Iovanovici Șoșoacă, the newly elected MEP from SOS Romania who has been criticised for her close ties with Russia, party sources told Euronews Romania. Last year, Ukraine announced sanctions against Iovanovici Șoșoacă when she suggested Ukraine's southern territory should belong to Romania.
AfD, though, is no stronger to these allegations as a large part of its ranks has been accused of spreading pro-Kremlin narratives and benefitting from Russian money.
Other possible candidates to join are Bulgaria's Revival, Greece's NIKI and France's Reconquête!, which, after an internal split, has one non-attached MEP.
The establishment of a "sovereignty" group has been the focus of speculation since the AfD was expelled from the now-dissolved Identity and Democracy (ID) group over the controversial remarks of its then-leader, Maximillian Krah, who told an Italian newspaper that not all members of the Nazis' elite SS unit were war criminals. Separately, Krah's offices were raided after his assistant was arrested on accusations of spying for the Chinese secret services.
"They (AfD) solved the problem with Max Krah, he won't even be a member of the delegation," Okamura said.
If confirmed, "Europe of Sovereign Nations" would be the most radical right force in the hemicycle and be immediately put closed off by a cordon sanitaire by mainstream forces.
