National gathering has power in sight in France – but is keeping a low profile about who they plan to sit with in the EU parliament.
A brutal struggle for power is raging among the parties as the far-right is forming itself after the EU election.
Plans for a single large far-right group in the EU parliament do not seem to be materializing, due to various difficulties in cooperating. But whether the EU-critical and nationalist parties will be divided into two or even three groups remains uncertain.
The Sweden Democrats' party group ECR, dominated by Giorgia Meloni's Italian governing party Brothers of Italy, hopes for greater influence than before as the parliament's third-largest party group. But it depends on the grouping among parties even further to the right.
Battle for parties
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán wants to create a completely new party group, Europe's Patriots, with his governing party Fidesz, the Czech Ano, and the Austrian FPÖ. The Italian Lega and Portuguese Chega are also said to be considering joining.
In that case, FPÖ, Lega, and Chega would leave the party group ID, which is largely dominated by the French National Rally.
The math is not simple, however. Party groups must gather at least 23 members from at least seven countries to get speaking time and increased influence in negotiations. Both Orbán's Patriots and ID therefore need to attract members from each other, from ECR, or among the unaffiliated to secure their existence.
Will everyone become patriots?
ID was supposed to elect a new group leadership on Wednesday, but according to the Austrian news agency APA, they have postponed everything until Monday, after the French parliamentary election.
Thus, National Rally is killing several birds with one stone: they can focus on the election, avoid being held accountable for who they cooperate with in the EU, and may find themselves in a position of power on Monday that attracts more.
One alternative is that ID disappears entirely and National Rally also joins forces with Orbán – and ultimately perhaps with the German AFD.
AFD would clearly fit best in that grouping, according to the German party leadership, APA reports.
Both to the right and left, there is movement in the EU parliament's party groups. Here is the situation right now:
* ECR – European Conservatives and Reformists – is dominated by Brothers of Italy with 24 members and Polish PIS with 20. The latter are reportedly on their way out. This also includes the three members from the Swedish SD.
* ID – Identity and Democracy – is totally dominated by the French National Rally with 30 members. However, they risk losing, among others, the Italian Lega.
* POE – Europe's Patriots – a newly formed group led by Hungarian Fidesz. Has not yet reached enough countries to secure its existence.
* The Left – also called GUE/NGL – is negotiating with the Italian Five Star Movement, which has applied for membership.
Among the unaffiliated are, among others, the German far-right parties AFD, which was kicked out of ID, and BSW, which hopes to be able to form a new party group to the left of the left.
