Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has announced an alliance with Austria's right-wing Freedom Party and the main Czech opposition party, hoping to attract other partners to form the largest right-wing group in the European Parliament.
Orban traveled to Vienna on June 30 to present the "Patriots for Europe" alliance, which includes his Fidesz party, the Austrian Freedom Party and former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš's ANO.
The move comes a day before Hungary takes over the six-month presidency of the European Union.
"What Europeans want are three things: peace, order and development. What they are getting from the elite in Brussels today is war, migration and stagnation. Our goal is, and we believe it will happen, that in a short time this will be the strongest right-wing group in the European Parliament," Orban said on Sunday.
The elections for the European Parliament, held at the beginning of June, strengthened the far-right parties.
Although their performances varied from country to country, it was not clear to what extent they would be able to cooperate.
Until now, they have been divided into two groups in the European Union legislature, along with a large number of non-aligned parties.
According to the AP, Orban has enjoyed opportunities in recent years to block, soften or delay key EU decisions, routinely going against the majority opinion of other leaders on issues such as the war in Ukraine, relations with Russia and China, and efforts to defend democracy and the rule of law. .
His public opposition to EU policies and positions has long frustrated other governments in the Union.
The three political parties that formed an alliance should attract deputies from at least four EU countries, in order to successfully form a group in the new convocation of the European Parliament.
Freedom Party leader Herbert Kikl pointed out that the new convocation of the European Parliament will meet for the first time in Strasbourg on July 16.
"All political forces that want to join our political and positive reform efforts are very welcome," Kikl said, emphasizing that there are many interested parties, but he did not name potential partners.
The Freedom Party narrowly won first place in the European Parliament elections and hopes to win the national elections in Austria, which will be held on September 29.
The "Patriotic Manifesto for the European Future" signed by the three party leaders opposes the centralization of the EU, and advocates that the priority should be sovereignty, not federalism.
As Hungary's EU presidency approaches, starting July 1, leaders in Brussels rushed to "push through" important political decisions, AP writes.
A few days ago, the EU started membership negotiations with the candidate countries Ukraine and Moldova.
By the way, Orban loudly objected and threatened to block the Ukrainian candidacy. His government also blocked EU efforts to provide Ukraine, which has been fighting a Russian invasion since February 2022, with the necessary funds, AP writes.
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