Identity and Democracy Party officials by Marine Le Pen in the European Parliament, they are in advanced negotiations with other far-right groups to discuss the possibility of joining forces with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Members of ID, founded in 2019, plan to meet with EU allies later on Sunday, following the French elections, for talks.
Several members of the group are already considering joining a new populist alliance announced this week by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Asked about a possible alliance with Orbán in a radio interview On Tuesday, Le Pen said her party would consider options after the election.
The dissolution of Identity and Democracy is partly aimed at distancing itself further from Germany’s AfD party, as he mentions. The far-right party was a key member of ID until earlier this year, when it was expelled following pro-Nazi statements by AfD figures.
Salvini’s support
To be officially recognized, the group needs members from at least seven countries. Among the parties that have expressed interest in joining their nascent team OrbanThe , which was formed with nationalists in Austria and the Czech Republic, is Matteo Salvini’s League and Ms Le Pen’s own National Alarm, according to people familiar with the matter.
Salvini’s decision to publicly support Orbán comes after Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a coalition partner and political rival, pressed for greater recognition in upcoming top appointments in Brussels. The two politicians lead two far-right parties that belong to different groups in the European Parliament.
The final decision by party leaders to recall Orbán will depend on the results of the French elections.
Both Orbán and Salvini said they were confident their new alliance would become the third largest in the European Parliament.
If that happens, it would mark a major victory for Hungary’s far-right leader, who is seeking to cement his influence within the bloc. Orbán’s group, Patriots for Europe, wants to pursue an agenda that includes plans to limit the European Union’s influence on national politics, devolve power to member states and curb immigration into the bloc.
Le Pen rejected criticism that he is avoiding setting out his EU plans ahead of the election for fear they could be seen as too friendly to Russia. Claims that he supports Russia, he said, are “as false as ever”.
With information from Bloomberg