The Mandiner news portal asked Levente Szikra, senior analyst at the Center for Fundamental Rights, about the patriots' manifesto announced by Viktor Orban, Herbert Kickl and Andrej Babis in Vienna on Sunday.
What is the essence of the announcement? What is the patriots' manifesto about?
In the European Parliament elections on June 9, voters clearly rewarded the right-wing, national forces across Europe, while the liberal and green groups weakened. The European People's Party, which defines itself as a center-right force, has once again betrayed right-wing voters and is building an alliance with leftist-liberal forces. Hungary's Fidesz and Christian Democrats (KDNP) and other right-wing European forces have had enough of Brussels ignoring the will of the voters, and this the reason for this new initiative.
Why was this initiative launched just now?
If we look at the political events in Europe in recent weeks and months, we can see major changes. There have been departures from most of the parliamentary groups, such as the ANO led by Andrej Babis leaving the liberals, the KDNP exiting the European People's Party or Robert Fico's Smer party quitting the socialists.
So Europe's political landscape is changing, and after the elections, a new direction should be set for European political decisions, but there seems to be no intention on the part of current EU leaders to do so.
Who is the initiator?
This new force was created by Hungary's Fidesz and the co-ruling Christian Democrats, the Freedom Party of Austria and the Czech ANO movement. These are patriotic parties that have been dominant in the domestic politics of their respective countries for a long time, and all of them have experience in government. Another common feature is that they all finished first in their country in the June 9 EP elections, meaning they have a broad social base.
In addition, they are credible right-wing forces that have already proven their competence.
Who can join them?
I think there are many right-wing parties in Europe that fit into this picture. We didn't learn more than this from Sunday's announcement, but it was stated that
the goal is to establish the largest party alliance of Europe's right wing.
I expect that the political forces that agree with the goals set out in the patriots' manifesto will receive an invitation.
What could be the long-term goal?
The three politicians have set an ambitious goal: they want to change European politics. I think the EU badly needs this, since in recent years the Brussels institutional system has been characterized by failures and corruption cases. The decision-makers need to tackle countless unresolved issues including migration, the war or the competitiveness problems of Europe's economy.
Cover photo: In the photo released by the Hungarian PM's Press Office, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, president of the Fidesz, signs the Patriots' Manifesto for the Future of Europe in Vienna on June 30, 2024 (Photo: MTI/Hungarian PM's Press Office Zoltan Fischer)
