Far-right forces reconfigure their alliances in the EU to gain political weight

A few hours before the start of the campaign european elections on June 9, radical right forces and far-right – which are rising in all polls – are striving to reconfigure their alliances in the European Union in order to translate its rise in votes into greater political weight. A very diminished influence in the last legislature precisely because of his internal divisions.

Currently, radical right forces are active in three different political groups in the European Parliament. On the one hand there are the European Conservatives and Reformistsled by the Brothers of Italy of Giorgia Melonithe Poles from Law and Justice and also Vox.

The other large ultra group in the European Parliament is Identity and Democracy, the home of the National Regrouping of Marine Le Pen the League of Matteo Salvini; the PVV of Geert Wilders and Alternative for Germany (AfD). Thirdly, Fidesz Viktor Orbán He appears in the group of Non-Registered since his traumatic departure from the European People’s Party.

[Dimite el candidato de AfD a las europeas tras decir que no todos en las SS nazis eran “criminales”]

The first sign of this restructuring within the European radical right was the presence of Le Pen at the meeting organized by Santiago Abascal in Madrid last Sunday. An intervention that caused surprise because it was the leader of a rival group to Vox in the European Parliament. Less strangeness was caused by the video message sent by Orbán, who aspires to join the European Conservatives and Reformists after the elections. Meloni gave her speech via videoconference.

But the authentic political earthquake This occurred when Le Pen announced that she does not intend to continue sharing a political group in the European Parliament with Alternative for Germany, despite the fact that this ultra party appears in second position (behind the Christian Democrats) in all surveys and will contribute a large number of deputies .

“The AfD goes from provocation to provocation. We have temporized, I have had the opportunity to mark distances and now is no longer the time to mark distances: It is time to confirm the break with this movementin which no one is in charge and which manifestly suffers the influence of radical groups within it,” the leader of the National Regrouping said this Wednesday. in a radio interview Europe 1.

The League assures that Salvini and Le Pen are perfectly aligned and agree on the decision to stop sharing a political group in the European Parliament with the Alternative for Germany. A movement that occurs after the head of this party’s list for the Europeans, Maximilian Krahstated in an interview: “I would never say that “Someone who wore an SS uniform (in Nazi Germany) was automatically a criminal.”.

After the dust unleashed by his words, the candidate announced this Wednesday that he is leaving the leadership of the AfD and that he will not participate in the campaign. Before his statements about the SS, Krah was already the protagonist of the news on the arrest of one of his assistants, accused of spying for China. The AfD’s number two for the Europeans, Petr Bystron, is being investigated for his alleged involvement in an influence network financed by Russia.

With all these problems, Alternative for Germany has become a toxic party even for radical right forces. Especially at a time when the strategy of these formations is to offer an image of moderation in order to broaden their political base, following the example of Meloni in Italy.

In his interview in Europe 1, Le Pen denies being in conflict with Meloni and points to this possible reconfiguration of alliances in the EU after the June 9 elections. “There is no group war, we are carrying out a reflection on how we can change the majority within the European Parliament.”

“Although we have differences – we must remember that the EU motto is united in diversity -, we can be united on some issues“United in the control of the borders, united in the will to remain sovereign, united in the defense of the right of veto of nations,” alleges the president of the National Regrouping.

The great dream of the ultra forces for several terms in office is to form a single large group in the European Parliament that will be decisive in European politics. But they have always failed because of their deep internal differences on issues such as the position towards Russia or economic policy and also because of personal quarrels.

Another factor that complicates reunification is the presence in the different groups of rival parties at the national level: while Le Pen, Salvini and the Flemish Vlaams Belang are in Identity and Democracy; Revival of Éric Zemmour, Meloni and the New Flemish Alliance belong to the European Conservatives and Reformists.

“While an electoral rise of the far right seems certain in June, politically it could become a pyrrhic victory if the parties remain so divided“, writes Cas Muddeprofessor of Politics and one of the leading experts on populism and the radical right.