Right-wing populist parties in the European Parliament gained money and speaking time thanks to the newly founded factions, but this did not change their limited political influence.
This is how the correspondent of the German public television ARD in Brussels evaluates the establishment of the group on Wednesday Europe of sovereign nationswhich is supported by the Alternative for Germany (AfD). The Patriots for Europe faction was already established earlierin which, among other things, and the Czech YES movement. Commentators also place Patriots for Europe at the right end of the political spectrum.
“By establishing factions on the far right, right-wing populist parties secure seats in the European Parliament benefits in terms of committee appointments, staff money and speaking time. However, this does not change the majority and political weight, influence remains limited,” noted reporter Jakob Mayr. He added that pro-European forces have a clear majority, so they can push through their legislative proposals.
“The shifts on the right edge also do not change the conditions for the re-election of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, which is planned for next week,” the commentary continues, adding that von der Leyen did not expect any support from this political camp anyway.
The German news portal t-online wrote that a new faction Europe of sovereign nations has become a meeting place for supporters of the radical right. “With 25 members, it is the smallest faction in the Brussels parliament and also the most radical,” he said. AfD has the main say in the group thanks to 14 MEPs, while the other parties usually have one, at most three representatives. Czech Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) also has one member. Therefore, the server used hunting language to describe the AfD, when it called the party a so-called regent or conqueror, which is a deer that has mastered the roost.
According to t-online, it was no secret that the Alternative for Germany would rather give priority to the more prominent partners who met in Patriots for Europe. However, the French National Association (RN) of Marine Le Pen, which joined the Patriots for Europe, no longer wants to cooperate with the AfD due to scandals and controversial statements downplaying the crimes of the Nazi SS units. Leaning towards more radical parties can therefore also encourage the radicalization of the AfD on the German political scene, the portal believes. The federal civilian counterintelligence is already interested in the AfD due to suspicion of far-right activities.
German public broadcaster ZDF, reporting on the formation of the faction led by the AfD, told viewers that the group has brought together small parties that hold nationalist, Eurosceptic, pro-Russian and anti-Semitic positions and are hostile to NATO and the EU.
Source: zpravy.tiscali.cz
