'Cracks' grow in EU parliament wall keeping far right at bay

In the new EU parliament, small but consistent signals of rapprochement between the right and far right are alarming the center left, which sees it as a potential threat to the European Union's stability.

Despite the far right's gains in June's European Parliament elections, traditional mainstream party alliances maintained their overall majority and helped Ursula von der Leyen secure reelection as Commission chief.

However, three hard-right groups now hold 187 out of 720 seats, emerging as a formidable force that the conservative European People's Party (EPP) group, led by Ursula von der Leyen, appears increasingly willing to align with.

Officially, the EPP maintains its stance of not cooperating with the far right.

"There is no cooperation with the far right," EPP leader Manfred Weber emphasized, stressing that cooperation criteria include being pro-Europe, pro-Ukraine, and pro-rule of law. Similarly, French EPP lawmaker Francois-Xavier Bellamy insisted there is no "change of course."

Despite the assurances, left-wing and centrist partners within the EPP perceive a shift in alliances.

"The alliance of right-wing forces you're seeing in several European countries is happening in the parliament too," noted Younous Omarjee, a hard-left EU lawmaker and one of the parliament's vice-presidents, who is concerned about potential setbacks in environmental and fundamental rights progress.

The European Conservatives and Reformists, led by Italy's Giorgia Meloni, have already made headway by securing a vice-presidency in von der Leyen's new commission. Meanwhile, the Patriots of Europe, launched by Hungary's nationalist prime minister Viktor Orban, and the more radical Sovereignists, remain outside the mainstream power...

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