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The European Parliament is set to trigger a procedure against the Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) party, home of Alternative for Germany (AfD) and other far-right political forces across Europe.
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If ESN is found to have failed to uphold the core values of the European Union, it could be stripped of its right to be registered as a European political party and lose its funding.
More than 180 lawmakers have signed a request to activate a verification mechanism by which the Authority for European Political Parties and Foundations (APPF) is tasked to assess the compliance of the party with the EU’s values.
The Parliament now has to confirm the decision in a vote to be held next Tuesday in Strasbourg. According to multiple Parliament officials, the European People’s Party, Socialists and Democrats and Renew Europe are in favour, meaning that the request is set to be approved.
The ESN party was founded in August 2024 by eight far-right European parties, led by AfD and including Poland’s Confederation and France’s Reconquête.
It is a separate legal entity from the ESN political group in the European Parliament, which is formed by the same political forces and currently composed of 27 MEPs.
Political groups are factions of the Parliament, while parties are alliances of national parties at EU level, funded through the EU budget. Neither the group in the Parliament nor the lawmakers will face any consequence if ESN loses its status as a European party.
Last May, the APPF director Pascal Shonard wrote a letter to the European Commission, Council and Parliament highlighting “facts casting doubt on compliance” by ESN with the EU’s core values, which include “respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights, including the rights of minorities”.
The APPF’s 294-page dossier of evidence, seen by Euronews, includes court rulings, statements and social media posts by ESN members that could constitute proof of violation of EU values.
The document highlights antisemitic, anti-LGBT and anti-migrant rhetoric, including calls for remigration of European citizens with foreign roots and the equation of homosexuality with paedophilia.
Other reported incidents include racist banners installed by Czechia’s SPD party, an action by Bulgaria’s Revival to stop the broadcast of a film featuring scenes of homosexuality, and a German court’s ruling that considers AfD’s policy programme “contrary to human dignity and freedom of religion”.
“The ESN Party is accused of not respecting ‘European values’ simply because it speaks about real problems affecting Europeans,” an ESN spokesperson told Euronews. “Freedom of expression is a fundamental EU value. Political disagreement should be met with debates.”
Once the Parliament triggers the procedure, APPF has to send its observations to the ESN, which could take corrective measures. The authority must then decide whether or not to deregister ESN as a European political party.
After the final decision is taken, the Parliament and the Council can still overturn it.
