Spain's Vox and the Dutch Freedom party join Orbán’s ‘Patriots for Europe’
Spain's far-right Vox party, which currently has six MEPs, has officially announced that it's leaving the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group to join a potential new formation led by Hungary's PM Orbán's Fidesz party.
And the leader of the Dutch far-right Party for Freedom, Geert Wilders, also announced he'll be joining PM Orbán's party.
He posted on X: "We are PVV-patriots, we love our nation. Strong and sovereign. Resisting illegal immigration. We defend peace and freedom. And support. We protect our Judeo-Christian heritage. And our families. We want to combine forces in the EP and will proudly join"
Orbán's alliance already includes the Czech ANO, the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) and the Portuguese Chega - but there are rules for becoming a political group in the European Parliament, and the Patriots for Europe have to represent one more EU state.
The alliance now has parties from six member states but needs another party from a seventh member state to meet the criteria for creating a new bloc.
Vox leader Santiago Abascal said the decision was a response to the 'historic opportunity' to fight against a coalition of centre-right, socialist and far-left forces.
The Spanish far-right party expressed its gratitude to the ECR group and, in particular, its friendship with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her party, Fratelli d'Italia.
"Giorgia Meloni will always be a partner, friend and ally of Vox," the party stated in a press release.
But they ditched her after the ECR group held its constitutive meeting this Wednesday, when Vox MEP Hermann Tertsch was elected vice-president of the party.
Hungary's Viktor Orbán also tried to woo Poland's Law and Justice (PiS) to join his 'Patriots for Europe' alliance, but to no avail, Euronews reported on Wednesday.
Next Monday, July 8th, will be a crucial date for the far-right, as the ID group and the patriots' alliance are due to hold their constituent meetings - and only one of them is expected to survive the challenge.
