The German far-right party AfD has decided to leave the Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament, a move that was expected. The decision was made during the AfD congress in Essen. The split was anticipated as ID had already distanced itself from the AfD before the European elections in June due to controversial statements made by AfD candidate Maximilian Krah about the Nazi SS. Despite the AfD’s decision to exclude Krah, the party remained a member of Identity and Democracy, which consists of right-wing populist and nationalist parties. The AfD had only joined the group last year, alongside parties like the Italian Lega, the French Rassemblement National (RN), the Dutch PVV, and Vlaams Belang.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban recently announced plans to form a new European parliamentary group with Austria’s far-right party (FPÖ) and the centrist movement of former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis (ANO). This development comes as the AfD exits the ID group, indicating shifts and realignments within European politics.
As the AfD departs from the Identity and Democracy group, the landscape of right-wing and nationalist parties in the European Parliament continues to evolve. Other groups are forming and reshaping, potentially impacting the dynamics and alliances within the EU political arena. The AfD’s decision to leave ID could have ripple effects on future collaborations and partnerships among right-wing parties in Europe.