World
AfD and allies form new far-right group: Europe of Sovereign Nations
The new group, called Europe of Sovereign Nations, immediately becomes the most radical force of the right in the European Parliament.
A new far-right group has been formed in the European Parliament under the name “Europe of Sovereign Nations” (ESN), gathering controversial parties that until today lacked political affiliation due to the radical character of their ideas.
The formation encompasses 25 MEPs from eight member states, enough to establish a formal group in the hemicycle and avoid the category of non-attached, which greatly reduces the relevance and speaking time of lawmakers.
Its composition and name were announced on Wednesday afternoon after a constitutive meeting in Brussels, ending days of mounting speculation. The news comes just two days after the emergence of Viktor Orbán’s Patriots for Europe and cements the reconfiguration of far-right forces in the wake of the June elections.
Despite their varied nature, the eight parties of ESN are glued together by a rabid opposition to migration management, the Green Deal, social progressivism and military assistance to Ukraine, setting them on a collision course with the mainstream.
Additionally, they all contest the project of European integration, under which countries delegate some of their competences to supranational institutions to build a political and economic union. Hence, the prominence of the term “sovereignty” in the title.
The Europe of Sovereign Nations is made up of:
- Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD): 14 MEPs
- Poland’s Confederation: 3 MEPs
- Bulgaria’s Revival: 3 MEPs
- France’s Reconquête: 1 MEP
- Slovakia’s Republika: 1 MEPs
- Czechia’s Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD): 1 MEP
- Hungary’s Our Homeland Movement: 1 MEP
- Lithuania’s People and Justice Union: 1 MEP
Who’s who in the new group?
The leading voice in the group is AfD, dominating more than half of the seats in Europe of Sovereign Nations. One of its lawmakers, René Aust, has been named co-president. Stanisław Tyszka, from Confederation, is the other one.
“We have come together because we share the goal of having a significant impact on Europe’s political future through decisive action and strategic planning. This can only succeed collectively, as European history shows. Influence has always been wielded by those who had the courage to organize and act strategically,” Aust and Tyszka said.
“We choose this path not because it is easy, but because it is necessary to realize our shared vision of a strong, united, and forward-looking Europe of Fatherlands.”
Arguably one of Europe’s most notorious far-right parties, the AfD has been accused of promoting ethno-nationalist beliefs, spreading Islamophobia, engaging in historical revisionism and denying the existence of man-made climate change.
Earlier this year, the investigative journalism organisation Correctiv revealed that AfD officials had taken place in a meeting that discussed “remigration” plans to expel asylum seekers, foreign residents and “non-affiliated” German citizens from the country. The report caused enormous outrage and prompted weeks of mass protests.
In May, a German court labelled the AfD an official suspect of extremism, enabling intelligence services to monitor its activities and communications.
Later that month, AfD was expelled from the now-dissolved Identity and Democracy (ID) group after its then-leader, Maximillian Krah told an Italian newspaper that not everybody who wore an SS uniform was a war criminal. Separately, Krah’s offices were raided when his assistant was arrested on accusations of spying for the Chinese secret services.
AfD’s non-attached status fuelled weeks of speculation about a possible new group in Brussels, initially thought to be called “The Sovereignists.”
“The importance of this project is much greater than my own role; I am therefore satisfied and without any resentment,” Krah said, confirming his exclusion.
Other members include Poland’s Confederation (or Konfederacja), a coalition that is staunchly anti-LGBTQ, anti-feminism and anti-abortion. However, only three of the six MEPs elected under Confederation have joined the new group.
MEP Anna Bryłka said she would stay out due to the group’s “attitude” towards the Nord Stream pipelines that connect Europe to Russia, which Poland strongly opposes.
“At the same time, I declare cooperation with every European force that wants to stop creeping federalisation, mass and uncontrolled immigration, and the European Green Deal,” Bryłka said on social media, explaining her decision.
Europe of Sovereign Nations also encompasses Bulgaria’s Revival, Hungary’s Our Homeland Movement (MHM), Czechia’s Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), France’s Reconquête! and Slovakia’s Republika, all of which advocate ultra-nationalism and ultra-conservativism, and embrace nativist and xenophobic themes.
In some cases, like Revival, Our Homeland Movement and Republika, the parties have been associated with the anti-vaccination movement. A friendly stance towards Russia is another recurring theme among the ESN members.
All in all, the group can be easily considered the most radical formation in the European Parliament and will be immediately put under a cordon sanitaire by mainstream forces, depriving it of high-level positions in the institution.
The controversial SOS Romania party, which appeared to be a suitable candidate, has been rejected due to concerns raised by some delegations, including the AfD and Our Homeland Movement. Among other extreme proposals, SOS Romania wants to redesign Eastern Europe’s map to re-establish “Greater Romania,” the interwar kingdom.
Another notable omission is Spain’s The Party is Over (“Se Acabó La Fiesta“, or SALF), the self-proclaimed “anti-establishment” party led by social media influencer Luis “Alvise” Pérez. Despite being included in a map shared earlier on Wednesday by Hungarian MEP László Toroczkai, SALF did not join the far-right group.
This article has been updated.
World
Investors brace for a bigger backlash from Middle East war
World
Tel Aviv analyst shelters from 30 missile sirens in 48 hours, says Iran ‘won’t recover’
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The past 48 hours in Tel Aviv have been unlike anything seen before, a leading security analyst has said, as sirens blared amid missile threats following Operation Epic Fury and U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran.
“We are facing a biblical event — nothing less,” Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital, speaking from his shelter in the city.
Like many Israelis, Michael said he had spent hours in reinforced rooms during the ongoing barrage, adding that he was “very experienced in this.”
“But this all requires time and determination, and I do hope that Trump will also have them both,” he said, speaking shortly after the president released a video message stating that the military operation would continue “until all of our objectives are achieved.”
Explosions from projectile interceptions by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system over Tel Aviv. (JACK GUEZ / AFP via Getty Images)
“Trump is the only one who can make the change — and that change will impact the entire region and the international order for years to come,” Michael added.
As of Sunday, Tel Aviv remained under a state of emergency following Iranian missile attacks that caused casualties and widespread damage.
According to The Associated Press, Iranian missile and drone strikes have killed approximately 11 Israeli civilians and wounded dozens more in retaliation for the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran.
Shrapnel from missile impacts damaged at least 40 buildings in Tel Aviv, and authorities reported at least one death in the area from falling debris.
The Philippine Embassy in Israel confirmed the death of a Filipino national after a missile strike hit Tel Aviv on Saturday.
TOMAHAWKS, B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS AND ATTACK DRONES POUND OVER 1,000 IRANIAN TARGETS IN 24-HOUR BLITZ
People take shelter as Iran launched missiles and drones towards Israel following the US-Israeli attacks. ( Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“We enter our shelter once the siren is heard and stay there until the Home Front Command announces that we can leave,” Michael said.
“Usually, it is about 20 to 30 minutes — unless there are further sirens during our stay. Since yesterday morning, it has happened around 30 times.”
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog also visited an impact site in Tel Aviv Sunday, delivering a message of resilience.
“The people of Israel and the people of Iran can live in peace. The region can live in peace. But what undermines peace time and again is terror instigated by this Iranian regime,” Herzog said.
EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE SAYS US STRIKES MARK ‘BEGINNING OF THE VERY END’ FOR REGIME
Israeli emergency service officer walks past building debris at the scene of a Iranian missile attack. (Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP via Getty Images)
Following the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and roughly 40 senior Iranian officials, Iran formed a provisional leadership council.
Iran named Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, President Masoud Pezeshkian and Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i to lead roles.
“The Supreme Leader did not complete the necessary groundwork regarding his own succession,” Michael added.
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“Pezeshkian will face very troubling challenges due to their heavy losses, severe disruptions to control and command systems, and the massive bombing and attacks across Iran, including Tehran,” he said.
“Even if this regime doesn’t collapse, it will never be able to reconstitute itself, recover or return to its previous position,” Michael added.
World
Israel FM says Europe too divided, slams Spanish PM
Israeli minister Gideon Sa’ar said Europe “does not have unified position” on what role it should play in Iran as European ministers sought to establish a joint approach Sunday.
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As Israel and the United States conducted a joint military strike on Iran, leading to the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Europe was kept on the sidelines.
EU member states did not participate in the operation and, in some cases, they were not informed prior as it is customary among strategic allies.
Asked whether Israel sought to keep Europe on the margins, Sa’ar said internal divisions within EU member states had kept them out of critical exchanges of operational details, unlike the United States, which the minister described as his country’s greatest ally.
“In Europe, you have all kinds of approaches,” he told Euronews. “You have countries like the Czech Republic which is strongly supporting this operation and then you have Spain, which is standing with all the tyrants of the world.”
On Saturday, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez was among the most critical voices in Europe, suggesting the US-Israeli strikes on Iran risk plunging the region into total war.
“We reject the unilateral military action of the United States and Israel, which represents an escalation and contributes to a more uncertain and hostile international order,” Sánchez said Saturday. The Spanish PM reiterated that message on Sunday.
“We urge for de-escalation and call to respect international law in all conflicts,” Sánchez added. “You can be against a heinous regime, like the Iranian regime, while also rejecting a military intervention that is unjustified, dangerous and outside of international law.”
Sa’aar said Israel considers the operation “fully justified” citing the right to self-defense from a regime that “has called for the destruction of Israel” and lashed at the Spanish prime minister for sending an “anti-Israeli, anti-American message.”
“Read the statement, they are standing with Iran!” he added.
When asked if any of his European counterparts had manifested an interest in joining the military operation or provide support on the ground, Sa’ar said he held multiple exchanges with European ministers over the weekend and suggested that “if others want to join, they will know have to convey the message.”
On Sunday, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen appeared to back regime change in Iran in line with Israel and the US, saying that the “risk of further escalation is real. This is why a credible transition in Iran is urgently needed” in comments on Sunday.
Sa’ar told Euronews said the strategic strikes and the elimination of Khamenei alongside top regime commanders could “create the conditions to weaken the regime enough to allow the Iranians to take their future into their own hands”.
“The future leadership of Iran should be determined by the Iranian people through free elections. Our only requirement is that whoever comes to power in Iran must not pursue the destruction of Israel,” he said.
Watch the full interview on Euronews from 8pm CET
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