Viktor Orban forms alliance for right-wing EU group with allies

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has revealed plans to establish a new hard-Right bloc in the European Union's parliament, named Patriots for Europe, in collaboration with allies from the Czech Republic and Austria. This move comes after Orban's Fidesz party was ousted from the center-Right European People's Party due to disputes over Budapest's alleged democratic decline. The new bloc, which includes Austria's Freedom Party and the Czech Republic's ANO, already has enough MEPs to form an independent political group, granting them funding and speaking opportunities. Herbert Kickl, the leader of the Freedom Party, described the Patriots for Europe as a "carrier rocket" for radical change in Brussels. While the group currently has more than the required 23 MEPs, they still need candidates from four additional countries to be officially recognized. Marine Le Pen, leader of France's National Rally, may potentially join Orban's group, as reported by Italy's Domani newspaper. The Hungarian leader, known as Vladimir Putin's closest ally in the EU, has opposed arms shipments to Ukraine and advocated for peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has shown interest in joining the Patriots for Europe bloc, initiated by Orban, alongside Austrian and Czech nationalists. The AfD was previously expelled from Marine Le Pen's "Identity and Democracy" bloc in the European Parliament following controversial statements made during European elections. Alice Weidel, the AfD's joint leader, ruled out reconciliation with Le Pen but expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with Orban's new alliance, which includes the hardline nationalist Freedom Party of Austria. Orban aims to make the Patriots for Europe the most influential right-wing bloc in the EU Parliament by potentially uniting Polish MEPs and other right-wing parties under his leadership.