Polish right-wing populist alliance Konfederacja has reportedly split in the European Parliament, with half of its MEPs to join the new Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) group while others want to try and enter the Patriots for Europe faction.
Marcin Sypniewski, Stanisław Tyszka and Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik of Konfederacja’s free-market Nowa Nadzieja faction are set to join the ESN, which insiders claim will launch sometime on July 10.
Their colleagues Tomasz Buczek and Anna Bryłka are said not to be happy with joining the ESN and are in negotiations with the Patriots instead.
The source of this dissatisfaction is reportedly the Alternative for Germany (AfD). Set to be the single-largest party in the ESN, neither Buczek nor Bryłka are said to want to be in the same group.
Speaking to Brussels Signal, sources within the Patriots refused to confirm whether or not such talks were taking place. They did emphasise that Konfederacja, as an alliance of different Polish groups could, in theory, be split among different EP factions without causing any issues.
Should such negotiations fail, sources close to Buczek and Bryłka said they would likely sit as non-aligned members – MEPs who do not belong to any of the recognised political groups.
Grzegorz Braun, Konfederacja’s last MEP, is also thought to be likely to sit as a non-aligned, with the controversial politician not believed to be in active talks with either EU parliamentary group.
Braun garnered international condemnation after putting out a menorah – a multi-branched candelabra used in Judaism – in the Polish Parliament with a fire extinguisher late last year.
SCOOP: The launch of a new hard-right “Europe of Sovereign Nations” group is “imminent” after securing the 23 necessary MEPs to form an official faction in the European Parliament, sources told Brussels Signal. https://t.co/b7Tw3435xs
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) July 4, 2024
Documents seen by Brussels Signal indicate the ESN group is to launch on July 10 with 28 MEPs from nine different countries, meeting all the requirements for official European Parliament recognition.
The AfD is to be the largest party within the group with 14 MEPs, while Poland’s Konfederacja will contribute three parliamentarians.
Other parties confirmed to be part of the new group include Spain’s Se Acabo La Fiesta (SALF), and Bulgaria’s Wasraschdane — both of which will have three members in the group.
France’s Reconquete, Czechzia’s Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), Hungary’s Mi Hazánk Mozgalom, Slovakia’s Republika and Lithuania’s Tautos ir teisingumo sąjunga will have one member each present in the new parliamentary faction.
The group is currently set to be the smallest in the EP, behind the Left (currently more than 45 members) and the Greens (topping 50).
Set to be left out of the ESN is the AfD’s Maximilian Krah, who was excluded from the party’s official EP faction in June.
Speaking to Brussels Signal, Krah still insisted he was “very satisfied” that the new ESN was being founded, claiming credit for having “proposed and prepared it for years”.
“With this group we set the force into action that will really transform todays EU into a desirable Europe,” he said.
“This project is much more important than me, so you see me very relaxed despite the intrigues against me, which I will finally overcome.”
Germany’s ruling left-wing parties demanded a cordon sanitaire against the newly founded Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament. https://t.co/hf2Ns4QiDI
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) July 10, 2024
