The Alternative for Germany formed a new alliance with Italy's League and other far-right parties after the European Parliament elections. They hope the coalition will shake up the European Union. The new group will be called European Alliance of Peoples and Nations (EAPN), and is open to anyone for whom conservatism and patriotism are important. "Not welcome are socialists, communists, eco-fascists and extremists — be they from the left or right," according to the AFD’s only MEP, Jörg Meuthen.
Europe's populist parties were currently split into three different groups; the Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF) — to which Salvini’s League belongs, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), or Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD). The ENF had 37 MEPs, the parliament’s smallest grouping. On current projections, Salvini’s League party looked set to pick up 28 seats in 2019 — up from just five in the previous election in 2014. Germany’s AfD could go from having just one MEP (after several MEPs elected in 2014 on the AfD’s rolls left the party) to 13. But even with the promise to join forces, they’ll need to convince other to join too if they’re dream of setting the agenda is to become reality.
On 08 April 2019 Italy’s Matteo Salvini formally launched his much-anticipated bid to unite European far-right parties ahead of EU elections in May. "We want to reform Europe," he declared during a press conference at a swanky hotel in central Milan. "For many people, the EU is a nightmare, not a dream," said the Italian interior minister and deputy prime minister. Salvini teamed up with Germany’s right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, whose leader and currently the group’s only MEP, Jörg Meuthen was by his side. Also at the table were representatives from the Danish People's Party and the Finns Party of Finland, who were initially the only other confirmed members.
The National Rally of France's Marine Le Pen and Austria's ruling Freedom Party (FPÖ) were not at the event, but have confirmed their existing cooperation with the League. The three parties currently sit in the same group in the EU assembly.
Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s far-right National Rally, didn’t attend the event, nor did any representatives from her party. But she and Salvini are already closely aligned. Le Pen said she was "ready to win" with Salvini. While Salvini said he was committed to "widening the alliance" of those who wanted to bring some "common sense to Europe."
Salvini and his EAPN will need far more support if they’re going to make waves in Brussels — a reality of which he is keenly aware. He’s been cozying up to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the chairman of Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party (PiS), Jaroslaw Kaczynski. As yet, the two parties don’t seem ready to jump ship — despite Orban’s Fidesz being suspended from the European People’s Party last month until further notice.
Media reports indicate up to 20 different political groups and parties intend to join the new "Alliance of European peoples and nations." And Salvini has planned an election campaign that will even take him to Germany. He has already been to eastern Europe in previous weeks. It is unclear if Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party will join the new right-wing group, as it has refused to comment.
Europe's far right hoped to become the third- or even second-most powerful group in the European Parliament.
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