"The sovereignists"

AfD is now apparently founding its own EU parliamentary group

AfD chairwoman Alice Weidel

(Bild: APA/AFP/MICHELE TANTUSSI)

According to a media report, the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany, which will be represented by 14 MEPs in the EU Parliament after the recent election, is planning to set up its own parliamentary group.

This was reported by the news magazine "Der Spiegel" on Saturday, citing an email to the parliamentary administration. An AfD representative had asked for a room for 100 people and catering for "the constituent meeting of a new parliamentary group". The AfD had been kicked out of one of the two Eurosceptic groups before the election.

The program of the "sovereignists"
According to reports, the new parliamentary group will be called "The Sovereignists" and its program will be based on the "Sofia Declaration" of the pro-Russian Bulgarian party Wasraschdane (Rebirth). Among other things, it takes a stand against "globalist ideologies" and the EU bureaucracy. It also calls for peace negotiations in the Ukraine war. 

Parties that are to belong to the group are calling for negotiations with Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

(Bild: AP)

Possible members of the new group would be SOS Romania, Se Acabó la Fiesta from Spain, NIKH from Greece, Konfederacja from Poland, Hnutie Republika from Slovakia and Mi Hazánk Mozgalom (Our Homeland Movement) from Hungary. An MEP from the French Reconquete, which was previously part of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR), could also join the grouping. Political groups in the European Parliament require at least 23 members, who in turn must come from at least seven member states.

AfD top candidate excluded due to SS slogan
The AfD will have 14 MEPs in the new European Parliament after excluding its lead candidate Maximilian Krah immediately after the election. His controversial remarks about the SS had led to the party's exclusion from the second Eurosceptic group, Identity and Democracy (ID), before the vote, with the FPÖ standing by their German colleagues.