‘Patriots for Europe’: Hungary’s Orban announces new EU Parliament alliance
Al Jazeera
Austria’s far-right Freedom Party and populist Czech ANO party led by Andrej Babis also join as Hungary takes on EU presidency.
Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPO), Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz and the populist Czech ANO party led by Andrej Babis are forming a new alliance in the European Parliament.
“We take on the responsibility to launch this new platform and new faction. I want to make it clear that this is our goal,” Orban told reporters at a joint news conference with FPO leader Herbert Kickl and ANO’s Babis, calling for other parties’ support.
The new alliance has been dubbed the “Patriots for Europe” and will require backing from parties from at least four other countries to be recognised as an official group in the European Parliament – where far-right groups have made gains.
Parties from at least a quarter of the European Union’s 27 member states are needed to officially form a new political group.
“A new era begins here, and the first, perhaps decisive moment of this new era is the creation of a new European political faction that will change European politics,” Orban said.
