Goodbye ID, welcome patriots and sovereigns

The European Parliament has changed: the Identity and Democracy group (ID) has been replaced by the “Patriots for Europe” (PFE), a new far-right group that includes 84 MEPs from 12 delegations, and Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN), the newest group of all, with 25 MEPs from 8 delegations.

Goodbye ID

It’s a goodbye for the Identity and Democracy (ID) group, created in 2019, which succeeded the former group Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF). After the 8-9 June election, the group obtained 58 seats, making it the sixth-largest group in the EP. In the latest legislature, they had 49 MEPs, 22 of whom were from the Italian League.

Welcome Patriots for Europe

On July 8th, Patriots for Europe has officially been created. The group has been joined by the MEPs of Ano, led by the Czech Andrej Babis, the Austrian Fpo, the Spaniards of Vox, and the Dutch sovereigntists of Pvv. Completing the family are the Belgians of Vlaams Belang, the Portuguese of Chega, the Danish People’s Party, the Czechs of Oath and Motorists, and the sovereigntists of Latvia First. The orbanian Kinga Gal was elected first vice-president. Among the vice-presidents is the League’s preference champion, Roberto Vannacci.

The new group has reached 84 MEPs from 12 different countries becomes the third largest formation after the European People’s Party (EPP) and the Socialists (S&D) and before the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR). The French delegation of the National Rally, with its 30 elected members, is the majority shareholder of the Patriots, followed by the 11 MEPs from Fidesz and the 8 from the League.

They aim to reestablish an intergovernmental Europe, granting individual nations exclusive control over various policy areas. They are focusing on two major issues for the coming five years—defense and migration—and are advocating for the repeal of the recently signed Pact by the 27 member states. “We don’t seek an alternative to Europe but a European alternative,” emphasized the Patriots during a well-attended press conference at the European Parliament in Brussels.

A new extreme right group

There is a new group on the horizon: the German Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) has created a brand new alliance with 25 MEPs from eight member states. This party, called Europe of Sovereign Nations, has immediately become the most radical right group in the European Parliament. The primary influence in the group is AfD, holding the majority of the seats. One of its legislators, René Aust, has been appointed co-president, alongside Stanisław Tyszka from Confederation.

The rise of the right has not found a single voice: Patriots for Europe, Europe of Sovereign Nations, and the European Conservatives and Reformists Group remain separate in the emicycle, even though their union would be the largest in the EP.