Patriots to Reshape Europe's Map of Political Parties

In November, the Patriots for Europe political party was founded in Paris. The new political force aims to strengthen the voice of patriots in Europe and guide the continent's political community in a new direction.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, president of Fidesz, at the first general assembly of the Patriots for Europe party alliance in Paris on November 16, 2024 (Photo: MTI/Hungarian PM's Press Office/Zoltan Fischer)

The formation of the Patriots for Europe party opened a new chapter in Europe's political life. The European party of Patriots brings together 15 member parties from 13 European countries. When the party was formed, the founders emphasized that they would not just launch a party, but a movement that strives to achieve the goals set at the beginning of the year.

Four milestones were highlighted that made 2024 a landmark year for the Patriots movement.

One is the victory of the patriots in the European Parliament elections in Hungary, which strengthened the support and legitimacy of the movement. The second is the formation of the Patriots for Europe EP group, which has created an opportunity to represent common values in the European Parliament.

The third important milestone is the return of Donald Trump as US president, which has given new impetus to the international alliance of Western patriots.

The most important step was the founding of the party in Paris.

The founders of the new political force stated that their goal is to strengthen the representation of national interests, reform European integration, and protect sovereignty and traditional values. They emphasized that the current structures of the European Union often disregard the sovereignty of the member states, and the party aims to change this. At the first general meeting of the Patriots for Europe in Paris, Spanish Santiago Abascal, leader of the Vox party, was elected president. Hungarian Kinga Gal, MEP of Fidesz and first vice-chairman of the Patriots' EP group, was elected the party's vice-president.

Behind the achievement of the goals set at the beginning of the year is the international cooperation of patriots, which aims to reshape the political landscape in the Western world.

The new political force aims to play a major role on the European political scene in the coming years.

Patriots to reshape Europe's map of political parties

At the end of the year, Prime Minister Viktor Orban repeatedly spoke about the changes in the European political situation, highlighting the strength and role of the Patriots in this regard. 

In an interview with Magyar Nemzet, Viktor Orban said:

We have a military plan, so to speak, for cooperating with European conservatives and for demonstrating to members of the European People's Party that genuine Christian democratic conservatism and tradition lie with the patriots, not with them.

He highlighted that 

"First, we will reshape Europe's map of political parties, and then we aim to take control of the European Commission through a parliamentary majority". 

These are our ambitions. Implementing all this will undoubtedly take many years, but a patriotic victory would open such new opportunities and horizons for European nations and citizens that are worth pursuing,

he emphasized.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, president of Fidesz, addresses the first general assembly of the Patriots for Europe party alliance in Paris on November 16, 2024  (Photo: Hungarian PM's Press Office/Zoltan Fischer)
 

Hungary's prime minister took the view that patriotic forces will replace the political elite of the Western world, as the parties currently in power have betrayed European voters. PM Orban is confident that the patriotic side will continue to grow stronger in Europe, and political change is only a matter of time.

We are on the patriotic side of change taking place in the Western world, and we will prevail in Europe,

PM Orban said in another interview.

The Patriots' manifesto: one of the first steps

Before the party was founded, several important steps were taken to lay the foundation for the new political force. The EP elections led to the strengthening of the right-wing conservative parties, and following this, the formation of a new EP group called Patriots for Europe was announced on June 30, 2024 in Vienna by Herbert Kickl (FPO), Viktor Orban (Fidesz) and Andrej Babis (ANO). The three party leaders adopted a patriotic manifesto, setting out the political goals of the Patriots group. These include the protection of countries' sovereignty, the fight against illegal migration and the revision of the European Green Deal.

EP group is formed

On July 8, the Patriots for Europe EP group held its inaugural meeting in Brussels, where the statutes were adopted and the president and vice-presidents elected.

The Patriots for Europe group was joined by eighty-four MEPs from fourteen parties in twelve member states, making it the third largest group in the European Parliament (EP).

In October, two Polish MEPs joined the group, bringing the total number of the Patriots to 86 from 13 countries. The largest group in the EP is the People's Party, with 188 MEPs, followed by the Socialists and Democrats with 136 MEPs. 

Jordan Bardella, leader of  France's National Rally, was elected president of the Patriots for Europe party family. At the inaugural meeting, Kinga Gal, MEP of Fidesz, was elected first vice-president. 

The other vice-presidents are Roberto Vannaci (Lega), Klara Dostalova (ANO), Sebastien Stoteler (PVV) and Anders Vistisen (Danish People's Party). 

At a press conference after the meeting Kinga Gal highlighted that

the Patriots for Europe has become the third largest political group in the European Parliament and the largest patriotic party family that has ever existed in the EP. Their goal is to bring change to EU politics.

She added that the European Parliament elections clearly showed that the overwhelming majority of voters want to protect Europe's borders and value freedom and peace. They support European cooperation, but they do not want a European Union that overreaches and punishes member states for implementing their own policies.

We represent millions of Europeans who want change in Europe. We will be their voice for the next five years,

she said, adding that 

the members of the EP group will work to preserve Europe's Christian values.

They want to protect Europe's borders at the highest level, stop illegal migration and work for a strong, competitive Europe.

We do not want to offer an alternative for Europe, but a European alternative, working with like-minded partners,

she outlined. At the beginning of December, the first external meeting of the group was held in Budapest. Kinga Gal stressed that

the Patriots group represents freedom in the European Parliament, the group's goal is to lead the EU back to the path of common sense.

The Budapest meeting adopted a political declaration urging a tougher migration policy. The Budapest Declaration calls for effective external border protection and a complete stop to illegal border crossings, among other issues. 

International cooperation between national forces

The formation of the Patriots for Europe EP group is the strategic outcome of international cooperation between national forces, the most palpable result of this cooperation in recent years,

 said Attila Kovacs, EU research director at the Center for Fundamental Rights, when the Patriots for Europe EP group was set up, highlighting that

this alliance, the cooperation between the parties that make up the alliance, is natural because it is based on common foundations.

He also stressed that these parties are united by their respect for Europe's Judeo-Christian traditions and their desire for a European Union based on and building on Judeo-Christian traditions. The research director added that the members of the Patriots faction are united by the importance of nations and sovereignty, family protection, policies supporting families and children, the need to solve Europe's demographic issue, and last but not least, these political forces are united by the most important European and global challenge of today, the need to end the war, the desire for peace.

Europe's political map is undergoing a radical transformation, on June 9 voters in the European Union cast their votes in favor of change. The formation of the Patriots for Europe EP group was the most important step in effecting this change on the European stage,

Attila Kovacs highlighted.

Cover photo: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, president of Fidesz, at the first general assembly of the Patriots for Europe party alliance in Paris on November 16, 2024 (Photo: MTI/Hungarian PM's Press Office/Zoltan Fischer)