Far-right on course to become joint third largest force in European Parliament
Luke James, Brussels
The far-right are on course to become the joint third largest force in the European Parliament, new projections show as police shut down a right-wing rally in Brussels attended by Nigel Farage and Suella Braverman.
With 51 days to go until the first European elections since Brexit, Europe Elects projected based on current polling that the far-right Identity and Democracy group in the European Parliament will hold 84 of the Parliament’s 720 seats.
That would represent an increase of 11 seats since the 2019 elections and put the group on the same number as seats as the European liberal group, Renew.
The far-right are expected to top the polls in Austria, France and the Netherlands.
However, the number of seats that the far-right is expected to win has fallen since December, when Europe Elects predicted they would claim 93 seats.
Declining support
That is largely down to declining support for two of Europe’s largest far-right parties, Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National and the Alternative for Germany (AfD).
The conservative Europe People’s Party are once again set to be the biggest force following June’s elections, with the resurgent socialists in second.
💥 NEW projection for the EU Parliament, with 51 days to go until election day.
Centre-right EPP: 184
Centre-left S&D: 139 (+4)
Right-wing ID: 84 (+2)
Liberal-centrist RE: 84 (-3)
National-conservative ECR: 82 (+1)
Greens/EFA: 52
Non-Inscrits: 52 (+4)
Left (Baier): 40 (-7)— Europe Elects (@EuropeElects) April 16, 2024
The poll was released as police in Brussels moved to close down the National Conservative Conference at the request of local politicians.
Braverman and Farage gave keynote speeches to the event, which was also due to be attended by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and French far-right former presidential candidate Eric Zemmour.
The event had already been forced to switch locations twice in as many days following interventions from Brussels council leaders.
The police began to “gradually” close down the event this afternoon, not forcing anyone to leave but not allowing re-entry to delegates, according to the Brussels Times.
Watch: Brussels police shut down the NatCon conference of hard-right politicians after the event had to change venue three times. Order came from the mayor of Saint-Josse. @Vincengen sends this video from the ground. pic.twitter.com/AtlNSK2KzX
— Jorge Liboreiro (@JorgeLiboreiro) April 16, 2024
The request to close down the event on public safety grounds was given by Emir Kir, the mayor of the Saint Josse neighbourhood where the conference was taking place.
“The far-right is not welcome,” said Kir, a member of the francophone conservative party in Belgium.
What happened at the Claridge today is unacceptable. Municipal autonomy is a cornerstone of our democracy but can never overrule the Belgian constitution guaranteeing the freedom of speech and peaceful assembly since 1830. Banning political meetings is unconstitutional.Full stop.
— Alexander De Croo 🇧🇪🇪🇺 (@alexanderdecroo) April 16, 2024
In a study released last month, the European Council on Foreign Relations advised parties seeking to prevent a far-right surge in June’s elections should stop “aping right-wing policies on migration.”
“The crisis of European democracy – and the prospect of a far-right surge – are real, but the coming election does not need to see mainstream politics eclipsed by the far-right,” said the think tank’s report.
“Pro-European parties have a chance to end up in a much better position than many expect and with a workable majority in the European Parliament.
“But in order for this to happen, European leaders need to part with some of the myths with which they are currently living. And they need to regain the initiative in setting the terms of the debate. They should not make this an election about migration.”
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And they say the Fascists lost WW2! Did they? We had Notsee Scientists infest the US and other European nations post the War. The fact we have monuments to these people here in the Uk says wonders. There is big English YouTuber who covers these places, really opened my eyes. The we see some people in our governments ignoring Them in Ukraine, which isn’t a conspiracy theory, this was well reported on up to around 2020.
It’s quite funny in a strange way that today’s Fascists are the collection of eccentric “believers” who set out to stop anyone of a different world view from ever discussing or communicating their ideas. “Far Right” and “Far Left” are both increasingly redundant terms. We are left with a bunch of extremist loudmouths all claiming to be protecting various rights and liberties but by their own behaviours are very evidently out to suppress most of us who have lives to get on with. They are all authoritarian totalitarians regardless of what labels they attach to themselves.