Populist Leaders Hungary, Poland, Italy Seek Nationalist Alliance

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News reporting from Budapest, Hungary

(Worthy News) – Hungary’s right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán says he and populist leaders from Poland and Italy have agreed to work on a new nationalist political force in Europe.

Orban spoke in Budapest, where he met Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Italy’s former interior minister, Matteo Salvini. “We came together to plan and talk about the future of Europe,“ he explained.

“As Mr. Salvini put it, and we all agreed, we want a European renaissance … Many millions of European citizens have been left without adequate and effective representation.”

Their talks came after Orbán ruling Fidesz party left the center-right European People’s Party (EPP) in the European Parliament. Last month’s divorce from its political partner came after years of conflict over Hungary’s alleged crackdown on democratic norms.

The EPP leadership was also upset about Orbán’s construction of an “illiberal democracy,” in which he mentioned China, Russia, and Turkey as examples.

Salvini, who shares Orban’s firm opposition to immigration, heads Italy’s League, the largest party of the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament.

Salvini said it was his dream to merge with the eurosceptic European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR). The ECR contains Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party. Together they could firm the parliament’s second-largest bloc after the powerful EPP.

Orbán said the politicians would meet again in May, most likely in Warsaw, Poland. However, on Thursday, there was no breakthrough. That left Orbán’s party, at least for now, in the cold in Europe.

Orbán was a staunch supporter of U.S. President Donald J. Trump. He has a more turbulent relationship with the current administration of President Joe Biden, who has expressed concerns about Hungary’s “illiberal democracy”.

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