The Hungarian Prime Minister, ultra-rightist Viktor Orbán, and his Polish ally Mateusz Morawiecki met yesterday with the leader of the Italian right-wing League party, in an attempt to lay the foundation for a new European political grouping.
Nationalists have been trying to unite forces in Europe for a long time, but they have failed, partly because of conflicting national interests, and partly because of big differences in attitudes towards foreign relations, such as ties with Russia, writes Reuters.
Orbán is very close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Hungary is against EU sanctions against Russia, uses Russian oil, gas and nuclear energy and was the first in the EU to use the Russian vaccine against covid-19.
Salvini is also pro-Russian, as are some other parties of a potential alliance. However, that may not sit well with the Poles and could create unease among other potential allies, diplomats say.
"I was really surprised by that kind of 'summit,' even though Salvini is not in the Italian government," a diplomat familiar with the matter told Reuters.
"There are too many issues like Russia, which have not been resolved, and I don't think they will come out tonight and announce a joint EU parliamentary group."
Orban, however, is feeling political momentum after his Fidesz party left the conservative European People's Party in the European Parliament last month.
"When the relationship between Fidesz and the EPP was broken, the situation in Europe became clearer," Orban told state television on Wednesday evening.
Many Europeans reject immigration and multiculturalism, advocate a traditional family model, want to protect their national identity and give primacy to national authorities over European directives, Orban said.
"Those voters have fragmented representation in Europe. We will try to make it right.”
Analysts say that Orban wants to be the driving force behind European nationalists and that the numbers are in his favor.
Morawiecki's party, PiS, is the main force of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), while Salvini's League is the strongest member of the Identity and Democracy (ID) group, which also includes Marine Le Pen's National Assembly from France.
Those parties together have 135 of the 705 seats in the European Parliament, plus Fidesz's 12, according to Reuters.
They could become a major force in Europe if they manage to iron out differences, including those within the League in Italy, says Zoltan Novak of the Center for Fair Political Analysis.
"The league is divided. Some people want to join the EPP. But Salvini strongly supports Orban, and the League could help create a new gender in the European Parliament," Novak told Reuters.
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