Hungary’s Orban announces new EU Parliament alliance: “Patriots for Europe”

Austria’s far-right Freedom Party and the populist Czech ANO party led by Andrej Babis are joining forces with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz in the European Parliament, coinciding with Hungary taking over the six-month rotating presidency of the EU from Monday. While the EU presidency holds limited actual power, it allows the presiding country to prioritize its agenda.

In recent years, Hungary has frequently blocked, altered, or delayed several significant EU decisions, particularly those concerning the war in Ukraine and relations with Russia and China. Orban has chosen “Make Europe Great Again” as his presidency motto, echoing the slogan of former U.S. President Donald Trump, whom Orban has described as a “good friend.”

Earlier this week, Brussels initiated membership talks with candidate countries Ukraine and Moldova, despite Orban’s recurrent threats to block Ukraine’s candidacy. Given longstanding accusations against Orban for undermining democratic institutions, an EU Parliament resolution in late May suggested that Hungary should be stripped of its presidency role altogether.

Nationalist parties, benefiting from voter concerns over rising prices, migration, and the cost of the green transition, made significant gains in the recent European Parliament election. They are now aiming to leverage their increased seats to exert more influence on EU policy.

The Freedom Party (FPO) is leading in Austrian opinion polls ahead of the September 29 parliamentary election, while Orban in Hungary is facing a growing challenge from the new opposition party Tisza, which announced its intention to join the European People’s Party (EPP) in the European Parliament.