Marine Le Pen Joins Forces with Viktor Orban in European Parliament Alliance

Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) will join an alliance in the European Parliament led by Viktor Orban's Fidesz. The new group, called Patriots for Europe, aims to challenge the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) by forming the third-largest bloc. They will push against illegal immigration and advocate for transferring powers back to member states.

Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally (RN) is joining a burgeoning alliance in the European Parliament, spearheaded by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, according to Hungary's government spokesperson on Monday.

The coalition, known as Patriots for Europe, led by Orban's Fidesz, will make an official announcement in Brussels, with Italy's League also joining. This new group aims to become the third-largest bloc in the European Parliament, posing a significant challenge to the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), which backs Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as European Commission President.

Forming a new political group requires 23 MEPs from at least a quarter of EU member states. MEP Jean-Paul Garraud of the RN revealed that the new group would consist of 84 parliamentarians from 12 nationalities. Despite a recent setback in the French National Assembly elections, the RN is forging ahead with allies like Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPO) and the populist Czech ANO party to combat illegal immigration and transfer more powers back to member states.

League leader Matteo Salvini praised the formation of the Patriots group, stating it would be instrumental in shaping Europe's future. While the new bloc leapfrogs the ECR group led by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, it's worth noting that Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is not joining. Orban's Fidesz is strengthening its European presence even as Hungary's opposition party, Tisza, secured an alliance with the EPP last month.

(With inputs from agencies.)