Published 10 February 2024 at 13.18
EU. If the conservative Hungarian party Fidesz joins the Sweden Democrats' party group ECR, SD can leave the group in protest. That's what the increasingly liberal party's EU parliamentarian Charlie Weimers tells Politico.
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Fidesz is Viktor Orbán's government party and Hungary's prime minister himself wants to see his party in the ECR .
The group also includes the Italian Prime Minister's party Brothers of Italy and the Polish party Law and Justice. And it looks like the Italian side is willing to welcome Orbán.
– It forced us to evaluate our options, including how to ensure that the ECR remains an Atlanticist (US-controlled, FT's note) and Putin-critical group, as well as what other options exist for conservative parties that have a government position, Weimers tells Politico.
The Sweden Democrats have been part of the ECR since 2018 and use the party group, among other things, to finance the news site Samnytt.
In an email to Politico, Weimers writes that Hungary's actions after Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine “have seriously damaged” the country “including the reluctance to ratify Sweden's NATO application”.