History of the European far right parties` international cooperation
Petra Mlejnková, Ph.D.
2 November 2020
BSSb1182 International nationalism

European cooperation of far right parties: two opinions
1)
1)European cooperation is rising; visible signals that something as „European ideology“ is creating
2)
2)Perceiving European far right as homogenous actor is not correct (limited institutionalization,
limited skills to create official, strong and working structure)
•
•Nevertheless, the EU / European space as a motivation for cooperation – why???

Motives for cooperation
•Ideological and pragmatic reasons for cooperation
•
•
•European level as POS (European parliament)
•
•Chance to get more visibility, stronger position than on national level (usually when not being
successful on national level they try it on international one)
•
•Getting more political relevance when cooperating – louder voice
•
•Another way how to enter political arena and policy making process
•
•Small far right parties search for larger ones – joining networks brings them strong partners
•
•Finances (national budget when winning seats in the EP, EU budget on political factions and
political parties; sharing costs on campaigns)

Factions and political parties of the European Parliament
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•Faction (group) – min. 25 members from 7 countries
•
•Europarty - at least one quarter of the Member States (usually made up of national parties, not
individuals)
•
•
•Financed from the EU budget
•
•
Political parties
2017
Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe (ECR group)
2.468.649 EUR
Movement for a Europe of Nations and Freedoms (ENF group)
1.696.660 EUR
Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe (EFDD group)
1.102.643 EUR

Common interest
•Rejection or critique of the EU, international institutions and economical globalisation
•
•Importance of national self-definition
•
•Ethnic and cultural homogenity in national states – related to stop of immigration and asimilation
attempts
•
•Protection of European Christian roots and represive measures towards Islam
•
•Rejection of Turkish joining the EU
•
•Defence of traditional understanding of family, marriage, rejection of abortion
•
•Critique of homosexuality
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•No tolerance to corruption
•
•Yes for death penalty
•
•Economy based on support of small and medium size businesses, traditional handcrafts and
agriculture
•
•Social welfare policy
•

•→ critique of the EU
•→ immigration and islamophobia
•→ globalisation
•→ defence of the European civilisation

History of cooperation
Group of European Right (faction of the European parliament)
Period
 1984-1989
Members
National Front (France), National Political Union (Greece), Italian Social Movement (Italy), Ulster
Unionist Party (Northern Ireland)
Leadership
National Front (Jean Marie Le Pen)
Period
 1989-1994 (in fact earlier)
Members
FN, Republicans (Germany), Vlaams Block (Belgium)
Leadership
FN
Technical Group of the European Right (faction of the EP)

Period
1997-2006 (last activity on web)
Members
At the end: FN (France), BNP (GB), National Democratic Party (Sweden), MS-FT (Italy), National
Democrats (Spain), New Right (Netherlands)
Leadership
FN
Profile
Rejecting of the EU and NATO
Rejecting Europe as a unit with one government
Europe of national states
EURONAT (European National Union)
•

Period
2003 - ??? (2010 still existing)
Members
Forza Nuova (Italy), NPD (Germany), La Falanga (Spain), Renouveau Francais (France), Nuova Drepta
(Romania)
Profile
Europe of independent nations – European Identity
Against immigration
Against Turkish EU membership
Against American imperialism
Against globalization
European National Front

Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty (faction of the EP)
Period
January 2007-November 2007
Members
ATAKA (Bulgaria), Greater Romania Party, FPÖ (Austria), Vlaams Belang (Belgium), FN (France), MS-FT
(Italy), Azione Sociale (Italy)
Leadership
Chairman Bruno Gollnisch
„project of FPÖ“
Profile
Confederation of nation-states
Rejecting Turkish EU membership
Against immigration
Against islamisation of Europe
Against American imperialism

•
•
Alliance of European National Movements (European political party)
Period
October 2009 – ongoing???
Members
Jobbik (Hungary), Valloon National Front (Belgium), FN (France), MS-FT (Italy), National Democratic
Party (Sweden); BNP(GB); Svoboda (Ukraine); Republica social movement (Spain)
Leadership
Project of Jobbik and BNP
Profile
Opposition to the EU
Opposition to globalization
Against islamisation
Against American imperialism

AENM
•Dominance of BNP, Jobbik and FN
•2011 – Marine Le Pen announced her withdrawal (she entered new Europarty Alliance for Freedom)
•2013 – rest of FN members left
•Le Pen wanted to de-demonize the party (connection with BNP and Jobbik was not helping, „She looks
for more moderate partners“)
•Ukraine Svoboda withdraw in 2014 – several members supported Russian military intervetion in
Ukraine (Jobbik supports Russia)
•Jobbik cut off in 2016
•Not recognized as Europarty anymore
•
•
•

European Alliance for Freedom (EAF)
•Established in 2010
•2011 – recognized as Europarty
•FPÖ, Flemish Interest, FN, Dutch Party for Freedom and other smaller parties (with short history
of membership in the EAF)
•Unofficial leaders: Marine Le Pen and Geert Wilders
•After EP election in 2014 attempt to build group in the EP (failer, enough seats but not enough
member states)
•
•October 2014: Marine Le Pen announced withdraw – EAF is practically dead
•
•End in 2016

Marine Le Pen continues
•Europarty Movement for a Europe of Nations and Freedom (MENF) – FPÖ, Lega Nord
•
•June 2015: announcing „Europe of Nations and Freedom“ group
•With former UKIP MEP (now as independent), FN, PVV, FPÖ, Lega Nord, Flemish Interest, Polish
Congress of the New Right, Romanian independent MEP, AfD (one MEP joined on 1 May 2016)
•

Identity and Democracy
•Political group launched in June 2019 (rebranded Europe of Nations and Freedom) by Marine Le Pen
(Identity and Democracy Party)
•
•League (Italy), National Rally (FR), AfD (Germany), Finns Party (Finland), FPO (Austria), Freedom
and Direct Democracy (CZ), Danish People`s Party (Denmark), Conservative People`s Party of Estonia
(EST), Flemish Interest (Belgium)
•
•76 seats
•
•Chaired by Marco Zanni (League)
•
•PVV out of the game (without seats) – after Brexit, Geert Wilders got one seat
•

Alliance for Peace and Freedom
•European political party, founded 2015
•
•NPD, Golden Dawn, New Force, Kotleba – People`s Party Our Slovakia, British Unity Party, Flanders
Identitists, Nation Movement (BE), Workers` Party of Social Justice (CZ), Party of the Danes (DN),
National Democracy (ESP)
•
•APF keeps contacts to Russia and supports policy of Vladimir Putin
•March 2015, AFP representatives arrived to the International Russian Conservative Forum in St.
Petersburg
•
•Budget of 400 000 euros for year 2017 (after that without EU finances, nor recognized by the EU
anymore)

Limits and barriers for cooperation
•
1)Historical issues (e.g. parties of middle Europe)
2)Nationalism
3)Question how the Europe should look like – Europe of nations or states? What degree of
integration? Which policy should be solved together and which should belong to national level?
4)Element of leadership
5)Issue of who is too extremist (marketing issue)
6)