EUROPEAN UNION
– What's your assessment of the first six months of the Patriots’ European Parliament group?
– Our achievements in such a short time are a tremendous success. It is unprecedented for so many right-wing, conservative parties to come together and establish such a sizable faction in such a brief period. We are now the third-largest group in the European Parliament, and we are growing stronger. This is evidenced by the success of patriotic and sovereigntist parties in the European Parliament elections, as well as the national and regional elections that have taken place across Europe since. People want change in European politics, and they expect this change to come from right-wing parties. We are the voice of these people who demand change in Europe. Today, this means that we are the opposition to the Brussels elite. As I made clear during the debate on the election of the European Commission: we represent change, and that is why we do not support the Brussels pact elite represented by the stagnant coalition of the European People’s Party, the Socialists, and the Liberals.
The Patriots' faction cast a unanimous vote against Ursuly von der Leyen's Commission, which demonstrates both the unity of our group and its political direction. I see it as a success that we are becoming increasingly organized and that our joint work is characterized by optimism. The Patriots' group external meeting, held in Budapest last week, was the culmination of this work.
– The Patriots have become the third-largest group in the European Parliament. How much of a mandate does this represent? What strength does it give you, and what message does it send about the decisions of European voters?
– I believe the message from the election results is clear: people are fed up with the politics represented by the Brussels mainstream, and they want change. Our task is to enforce the will of European voters and deliver that change. This is not an easy task, as the Brussels elite is doing everything it can to isolate us, but time is on our side. I firmly believe that the will of the European people cannot be ignored in the long run. Our group currently consists of 86 representatives from 13 countries and 14 parties, making us a highly significant political force. We are a valuable resource for our member parties to win elections and assume governance as soon as possible. I am confident that we will continue to grow and expand in the coming period.
In order to achieve real change, we need allies on the right. This is why we strive for strong cooperation among those who represent right-wing, conservative, national values and, like us, want change in Europe. For example, we are working with the Conservative group, and together we now constitute the second-largest force in the European Parliament. Now, this gives us considerable weight, allowing us to shift the focus of European parliamentary decision-making in our favor.
Unfortunately, the European People’s Party, the political family of Peter Magyar’s Tisza Party, remains invested in preserving the status quo through unprincipled backroom deals, contrary to the promises it made to voters. It seeks allies on the left to maintain its hold on power.