“Far-right parties from 16 EU countries, including Frances’ Rassemblement National, Poland’s PiS, Hungary’s Fidesz and Italy’s Lega, have united on Friday (2 July), with the declared objective of making their voice heard in the context of the debate on the future of Europe. According to press releases, the leaders of ‘right-wing parties’ signed simultaneously in several European capitals a document calling for deep reform of the EU, because in their words, ‘instead of protecting Europe and its heritage, it is itself becoming a source of problems and anxiety'” Euractiv reports.

“The document is reportedly signed by Jarosław Kaczyński (PiS, Poland), Giorgia Meloni (Brothers of Italy), Santiago Abascal (VOX, Spain), Viktor Orbán (Fidesz, Hungary), Matteo Salvini (Lega, Italy), Marine le Pen (RN, France) and several other right-wing parties from Bulgaria (VMRO), Austria (FPÖ), Belgium (Vlaams Belang), Denmark (Dansk Folkeparti), Estonia (EKRE), Finland (Perussuomalaiset), Greece (Ellinikí Lýsi), Netherlands(Ja21), Lithuania (Lietuvos lenkų rinkimų akcija) and Romania (Partidul Național Țărănesc Creștin Democrat). ‘The cooperation of European nations should be based on tradition, respect for the culture and history of European states, respect for Europe’s Judeo-Christian heritage and the common values that unite our nations, and not on their destruction,’ the signatories point out. Leaders of right-wing parties emphasise that the document is a response to the beginning of the debate on the future of Europe.”

“They underline ‘that the use of political structures and the law to create a European superstate and new social structures is a manifestation of the dangerous and invasive social engineering known from the past, which must provoke legitimate resistance’. ‘The moralistic overactivity that we have seen in recent years in the EU institutions has resulted in a dangerous tendency to impose an ideological monopoly,’ reads the statement. The signatories of the document appear to take aim at the EU institutions such as the Commission or the European Court of Justice, which have put pressure on Poland and Hungary on issues ranging from subjugating the judiciary to stigmatising the LGBT community.”