Patriots for Europe

Fidesz had been unaffiliated at the European level since leaving the European People's Party Group (EPP Group) in March 2021. ANO MEPs belonged to the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party and its affiliated Renew Europe group since 2011, but left both organisations after the 2024 European Parliament elections, citing disagreements with the party's programme. The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) belonged to the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group during the ninth term (2019–2024).{{Cite web |title='Patriots for Europe': Hungary's Orban announces new EU Parliament alliance |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/6/30/patriots-for-europe-hungarys-orban-announces-new-eu-parliament-alliance |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=Al Jazeera}}

On 30 June 2024, the founding of the group was announced at a press conference in Vienna by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (Fidesz), former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO 2011), and former Austrian Minister of the Interior Herbert Kickl and MEP Harald Vilimsky (both Freedom Party of Austria).{{Cite web |title=Hungary: Orban announces new far-right European alliance – DW – 06/30/2024 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/hungary-orban-announces-new-far-right-european-alliance/a-69517687 |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=Deutsche Welle}}{{Cite news |agency=Czech News Agency |date=2024-06-30 |title=Patrioti pro Evropu. ANO, Fidesz a FPÖ zakládají novou politickou alianci |url=https://www.denik.cz/cesko-a-eu/andrej-babis-viktor-orban-fidesz-ano-fpo-aliance.html |access-date=2024-07-01 |work=Deník|language=cs}}{{Cite web |date=2024-06-30 |title=Vlastenci pro Evropu. ANO, Fidesz a Svobodná strana Rakouska zakládají politickou alianci |url=https://www.irozhlas.cz/zpravy-svet/andrej-babis-ano-fidesz-viktor-orban-svobodna-strana-rakouska_2406301027_ako |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=iROZHLAS |language=cs}} Representatives of the three founding parties signed "A Patriotic Manifesto for a European Future",{{Cite web |url=https://www.fpoe.eu/patrioten-fuer-europa-kickl-fpoe-orban-fidesz-babis-ano-gaben-startschuss-fuer-neue-patriotische-allianz/|title=„Patriotisches Manifest – Erklärung mit Herbert Kickl, Viktor Orbán, Andrej Babiš & Harald Vilimsky"|website=Freedom Party of Austria|location=Vienna|date=30 June 2024|access-date=1 July 2024}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.fpoe.at/artikel/patrioten-fuer-europa-kickl-fpoe-orban-fidesz-babis-ano-gaben-startschuss-fuer-neue-patrioti/|title=„Patrioten für Europa“: Kickl (FPÖ), Orbán (Fidesz), Babiš (ANO) gaben Startschuss für neue patriotische Allianz!|website=Freedom Party of Austria|location=Vienna|date=30 June 2024|access-date=1 July 2024}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/AndrejBabis/posts/pfbid02fz9AFYsqHmpv3zuSoLD71mtHcDfTDEiUdkRaAep8G6ZHBDpLtcZWoxqu7fNBd2XPl|title=VLASTENECKÝ MANIFEST PRO EVROPSKOU BUDOUCNOST"|author=Andrej Babiš|location=Vienna|date=30 June 2024|access-date=1 July 2024|website=Facebook|language=cs}} setting out the alliance's ideological positions, including weakening the EU, a focus on European cultural identity, opposition to illegal immigration, and a revision of the European Green Deal.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-30 |title=Babiš, Orbán a Kickl zakládají vlasteneckou alianci|url=https://www.novinky.cz/clanek/zahranicni-babis-orban-a-kickl-zakladaji-vlasteneckou-alianci-40478413 |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=Novinky.cz|language=cs|publisher=Borgis}}

On 1 July, the nationalist Portuguese party Chega, with two MEPs, became the fourth member of the Patriots for Europe.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-01 |title=Extrema-direita portuguesa junta-se à aliança "Patriotas pela Europa" de Viktor Orbán |url=https://pt.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/07/01/extrema-direita-portuguesa-junta-se-a-alianca-patriotas-pela-europa-de-viktor-orban |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=euronews |language=pt}}{{Cite web |date=2024-07-01 |title=Portugal's Chega party to join Orbán's new far-right alliance |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/portugal-chega-party-andre-ventura-join-viktor-orban-new-far-right-alliance/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=POLITICO}} On 5 July, the Spanish Vox party also joined, leaving the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group.{{cite web | url=https://www.ansa.it/english/news/2024/07/05/vox-leaves-melonis-ecr-for-orbans-new-patriots_49e7edab-b24c-4fa0-b37b-6a484ffac6af.html | title=Vox leaves Meloni's ECR for Orban's new 'Patriots'|website=Ansa.it|date=5 July 2024}} The same day, the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV), formerly part of the ID Group, also announced it would join.{{Cite web|url=https://x.com/geertwilderspvv/status/1809269979457417639|title=x.com|accessdate=July 7, 2024}} On 6 July, the Danish People's Party and Vlaams Belang, both part of the ID group, announced they would also join, bringing the group above the minimum number of member states required for an official European Parliament group.{{Cite web|url=https://x.com/AndersVistisen/status/1809560229715079643|title=x.com|accessdate=July 7, 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://x.com/tomvangrieken/status/1809638940288188840|title=x.com|accessdate=July 7, 2024}} On 8 July, the National Rally (RN) and Lega were announced as new members of the group.{{Cite web|url=https://x.com/zoltanspox/status/1810246146142413033?s=46&t=5ykVSjLUcF5_QLpfJWkkJg|title=x.com|accessdate=July 8, 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://x.com/matteosalvinimi/status/1810220106703626327|title=x.com|accessdate=July 8, 2024}} The prerequisite for establishing a political group of the European Parliament is the membership of at least 23 MEPs from at least seven EU member states. The alliance met this criterion on 6 July 2024.{{cite news |last1=Sajó |first1=Dávid |title=A Dán Néppárt is csatlakozik Orbánék európai pártcsoportjához, megvan a szükséges létszám a frakcióhoz |url=https://telex.hu/kulfold/2024/07/06/orban-ep-frakcio-szelsojobb |access-date=6 July 2024 |work=Telex |date=6 July 2024}} According to Le Monde, the RN waited until after the second round of the 2024 French legislative election for the announcement "for fear of reviving suspicion of pro-Russian sympathies".{{cite news|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/politique/live/2024/07/08/en-direct-legislatives-2024-de-nombreux-responsables-politiques-prennent-la-parole-ce-soir-a-la-television_6247441_823448.html#id-1672292|title=Le RN va rejoindre une nouvelle alliance au Parlement européen dirigée par le premier ministre hongrois, Viktor Orban

|website=Le Monde|date=8 July 2024|access-date=8 July 2024|lang=fr}}

During the formation process, parties previously speculated as possible members of the new EU Group included:{{Cite web |last=Scheffer |first=Joakim |date=2024-07-01 |title=The EP's Potentially Strongest Right-Wing Group — Who Could Join PM Orbán's Patriots for Europe? |url=https://www.hungarianconservative.com/articles/politics/patriots-for-europe_viktor-orban_right-wing_european-parliament_ecr_id_hungary/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=Hungarian Conservative}}{{Cite web |date=2024-07-01 |title=Portugal's far right joins Orbán's 'Patriots for Europe' alliance |url=https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/07/01/portugals-far-right-joins-viktor-orbans-patriots-for-europe-alliance |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=Euronews}}{{Cite web |last=Zachová |first=Aneta |date=2024-06-30 |title=Orbán, Babiš, Kickl create new "patriotic" alliance to redefine EU policies, eye new Parliament group |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/orban-babis-kickl-create-new-patriotic-alliance-to-redefine-eu-policies-eye-new-parliament-group/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=Euractiv}}

• Germany: Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has 15 MEPs (formerly part of the ID Group). However, due to previous tension between Fidesz and AfD, this was seen as unlikely,{{Cite web |last=Benakis |first=Theodoros |date=2024-07-01 |title=Far-right AfD eyes Orbán's new group in the European Parliament |url=https://www.europeaninterest.eu/far-right-afd-eyes-orbans-new-group-in-the-european-parliament/ |access-date=2024-07-05 |website=European Interest}} with AfD stating it had no current plans to join.{{Cite web |last=Stellmacher|first=John|date=2024-07-01 |title=New European right-wing alliance initially without AfD |url=https://aussiedlerbote.de/en/new-european-right-wing-alliance-initially-without-afd/ |access-date=2024-07-05 |website=aussiedlerbote.de}} AfD expressed interest in creating a group including Hungarian Fidesz rival Our Homeland Movement and the Bulgarian Revival. These parties eventually established a separate far-right grouping, Europe of Sovereign Nations.{{Cite web |last1=Starcevic|first1=Seb|last2=Wax|first2=Eddy|date=2024-07-10 |title=New far-right group led by Germany’s AfD founded in European Parliament |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/new-far-right-group-european-parliament-germany-afd/ |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=POLITICO}} Fidesz leader Viktor Orbán later stated in an interview that the National Rally had objected to AfD joining the Patriots for Europe group.{{cite news|work=European Conservative|title=Hungarian PM Opens for Dialogue With German AfD|date=3 February 2025|url=https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/hungarian-pm-opens-for-dialogue-with-german-afd/}}
• Poland: Law and Justice (PiS), which won 20 MEPs, initially negotiated with the Patriots for Europe, but later reached an agreement with Brothers of Italy allowing it to remain in the European Conservatives and Reformists.{{cite web |last=Genovese|first=Vincenzo|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/polands-law-justice-says-no-160800058.html|title=Poland's Law and Justice says no to Orbán's Patriots and stays with Meloni's group in EU Parliament|website=Yahoo News|date=3 July 2024}}
• Slovakia: Republic Movement, with two MEPs, expressed interest in membership,{{cite web |last1=Zmušková |first1=Barbara |last2=Griera |first2=Max |date=8 July 2024 |title=Orbán v europarlamente zabodoval. Patrioti pre Európu môžu mať reálnu moc |url=https://euractiv.sk/section/europska-politika/news/orban-v-europarlamente-zabodoval-patrioti-pre-europu-mozu-mat-realnu-moc/ |website=Euractiv |language=sk}} but one MEP subsequently joined Europe of Sovereign Nations on 10 July.{{Cite web |last1=Liboreiro|first1=Jorge|last2=Genovese|first2=Vincenzo|url=https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/07/10/afd-and-allies-form-new-far-right-group-in-brussels-called-europe-of-sovereign-nations|title=AfD and allies form new far-right group in Brussels called Europe of Sovereign Nations|website=Euronews|date=10 July 2024}}
• Slovakia: Smer–SD was speculated to join the alliance with its five MEPs; however, according to its junior coalition partner, Hlas–SD, Smer–SD expressed a preference for rejoining the S&D group.{{Cite web |last=Scheffer |first=Joakim |date=2024-07-01 |title=The EP's Potentially Strongest Right-Wing Group — Who Could Join PM Orbán's Patriots for Europe |url=https://www.hungarianconservative.com/articles/politics/patriots-for-europe_viktor-orban_right-wing_european-parliament_ecr_id_hungary/ |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=Hungarian Conservative}} Although it was later rejected from S&D,{{Cite news |last=HARZER|first=FILIP|url=https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/volby-eurovolby-europoslanci-smeru-dali-vale-socialistum-mluvi-se-o-namluvach-s-patrioty-255541|title=Europoslanci Směru dali vale socialistům, mluví se o námluvách s Patrioty|website=Seznam Zprávy|date=10 July 2024|access-date=10 July 2024|language=cs}} Smer–SD declined to join Patriots for Europe, saying that it can not join the group that "has nothing to do with social democracy".{{Cite web |last=Silenská|first=Natália|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/ficos-smer-will-not-join-new-patriots-for-europe-group-cites-ideological-divide/|title=Fico’s Smer will not join new Patriots for Europe group, cites ideological divide|website=Euractiv|date=12 July 2024}}{{Cite web |author=Ahmet Gencturk|url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/slovak-premier-hints-his-social-democratic-party-wont-join-right-wing-patriots-alliance-in-european-parliament/3273877|title= Slovak premier hints his social democratic party won't join right-wing Patriots alliance in European Parliament|publisher=Anadolu Ajansı|date=12 July 2024}}
• Slovenia: The Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), which won four MEPs, ultimately remained part of the EPP Group, while noting that not all SDS MEPs agreed with this decision.{{cite web | last=Dlhopolec | first=Peter | last2=Eisenchteter | first2=Jules | last3=Ciobanu | first3=Claudia | last4=Watson | first4=Nicholas | title=Democracy Digest: Hungary Centre Stage as EU Presidency Begins and PM Visits Kyiv | website=Balkan Insight | date=2024-07-05 | url=https://balkaninsight.com/2024/07/05/democracy-digest-hungary-centre-stage-as-eu-presidency-begins-and-pm-visits-kyiv/ | access-date=2024-08-05}}{{cite news|work=Portal24|date=7 September 2024|title=SDS ostaja del EPP, mnenja znotraj stranke so različna|url=https://portal24.si/sds-ostaja-del-epp-mnenja-znotraj-stranke-so-razlicna/}}
• Romania: The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), which won two MEPS, announced that the party will remain in the EPP group, because they believe that Hungarian interests can be asserted by being in separate factions, and because Fidesz has not approached them to join.[https://transtelex.ro/kozelet/2024/07/04/nem-csatlakozik-orban-viktorek-ep-frakciojahoz-az-rmdsz]

On 8 July, Jordan Bardella, president of the French National Rally (RN), was named as the group's president.{{cite news |last=Fortuna|first=Gerardo|url=https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/07/08/far-right-patriots-group-springs-to-third-force-in-european-parliament|title=Far-right Patriots group springs to third force in European Parliament|website=Euronews|date=8 July 2024|access-date=8 July 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/patriots-for-europe-jordan-bardella-viktor-orban-marine-le-pen/|title=Patriots for Europe becomes EU parliament’s 3rd-largest group, picks Jordan Bardella as president|website=Politico Europe|date=8 July 2024|access-date=8 July 2024}}

The Polish Confederation's National Movement, which won two MEPs, announced in July 2024 that it was in negotiations with Patriots for Europe, while the three Confederation MEPs from New Hope joined the ESN group, and the one Confederation of the Polish Crown MEP was not seeking to join.{{cite web |last=ADAMCZYK |first=GRZEGORZ |date=3 July 2024 |title=Confederation MEP rules out alliance with Germany's AfD, eyes other European groups |url=https://rmx.news/article/confederation-mep-rules-out-alliance-with-germanys-afd-eyes-other-european-groups/ |website=Remix}}{{cite news|work=TV24|url=https://tvn24.pl/swiat/konfederacja-podzielona-w-europarlamencie-poslowie-rozwazaja-dolaczenie-do-roznych-frakcji-st7996809|date=9 July 2024|title=Konfederacja podzielona w europarlamencie? Źródło: troje z AfD, dwoje z Orbanem, a z Braunem nikt nie rozmawia}}{{cite news|work=Brussels Signal|title=Polish Konfederacja split between Patriots and Sovereigntists in European Parliament|date=10 July 2024|url=https://brusselssignal.eu/2024/07/polish-konfederacja-split-between-patriots-and-sovereigntists-in-european-parliament/}} Ultimately, the National Movement joined Patriots for Europe on 1 October.{{cite tweet|user=PatriotsEP|number=1841154088932683914|title=With MEP @annabrylka and MEP @buczek_tomasz, the Patriots in the European Parliament are gaining two new MEPs.}}

{{main|List of members of the European Parliament (2024–2029)}}

File:Patriots for Europe MEPs map.svg

Group bureau during the 10th European Parliament.{{Cite web|url=https://agenparl.eu/2024/07/08/patriots-for-europe-become-the-third-largest-group-in-the-european-parliament/|title=Patriots for Europe become the third largest group in the European Parliament|website=Agenparl|date=2024-07-08|access-date=2024-07-08}}

• Europe of Sovereign Nations

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