Marine Le Pen has reaffirmed her ambition to create a hard-right “supergroup” in the European Parliament following the elections this month.
The de facto leader of the French hard-right National Rally (RN) party seemed optimistic about an alliance between the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), and the Identity and Democracy (ID) group with which it is affiliated.
“If we manage to unite, we can be the second [largest] group in the European Parliament,” Le Pen said on June 5, a day before the EP elections of June 6-9 kicked off.
“There are many patriotic movements today expressing the hope that we can succeed in uniting,” she added.
Right-wing political groups in Brussels have remained tight-lipped as France’s Marine Le Pen of the National Rally party continues her push for a new European Parliament supergroup. https://t.co/tYVETnk1fO
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) May 28, 2024
Le Pen’s supergroup plan may face challenges. The ECR is identified as a pro-European party while ID is seen as Eurosceptic.
The war in Ukraine has also highlighted differences between the groups. The ECR takes a strongly pro-Kiyv approach while the ID’s standpoint is more nuanced.
For Le Pen, such differences between the two parties are not an issue.
”When you love your country you have to be able to work together even if you disagree on every little thing,” she said.
She urged all French voters to cast their ballot to thwart what she called “Macron’s European project”.
“We must go out [to the polls], it is essential.
“We have a historic opportunity to change things, we must not be spectators,” she added.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has not yet responded favourably to her advances but that does not seem to worry Le Pen, who suggested that the results of the EP vote would set the groundwork for her plan.
“These things usually happen after the elections,” she said.
Le Pen is not the only European leader open to working with the hard-right ECR.
The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has not ruled out co-operating with the group.
In addition, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said he hoped that his Fidesz party could join up with the ECR.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said he would like to join a group that includes Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. https://t.co/CUmBJzCoA0
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) June 4, 2024
