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Far-right bloc collapses in European Parliament
By RNW Europe correspondent Matthijs Nieuwenhuis*
15-11-2007
The far-right ITS grouping in the European parliament has collapsed. A major confrontation between its Romanian members and Italian MEP Allesandra Mussolini sounded the death knell of their collaboration, which was only established in January this year. With the five Romanian members having left the bloc, it was left two MEPs short of the 20-MEP minimum required to qualify as a political grouping in the parliament.
The motley collection of far-right politicians did not last very long in the European Parliament. What started out ten months ago as an attempt to win more power and influence for Europe's far-right parties has ended in a blazing row. The bloc, which included the French Front National and the Belgian Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest), collapsed as a result of arguments within its own ranks.
Row
A row between Alessandra Mussolini, the granddaughter of former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, and the Greater Romania Party spelled the end of far-right collaboration in the parliament. In a radio interview with Dutch public broadcaster VPRO, Ms Mussolini suggested that all Romanians were criminals:
"Romanians are flooding Italy. Of all foreign prisoners in Italian jails, 70 percent are Romanians and they top all others in their use of violence and their lack of respect for women. This criminal invasion must be stopped." The Romanians were, predictably, furious, with MEP Eugen Mihaescu describing his Italian colleague in less than flattering terms:
"To me, Ms Mussolini is an inflatable doll. I'm talking about the kind that you buy in a sex shop. To my mind, she has nothing to do with politics."
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The former ITS bloc in the European Parliament comprised:
- 7 members of the Front National (France)
- 5 members of Partidul România Mare (Romania)
- 3 members of Vlaams Belang (Belgium-Flanders)
- 3 members of Attack Coalition (Bulgaria)
- 1 member from Alternativa sociale: Lista Mussolini (Italy)
- 1 member from Movimento Sociale Fiamma tricolore (Italy)
- 1 independent member (United Kingdom)
- 1 member from the FPÖ (Austria)
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Great pleasure
The other MEPs were rather pleased with it all. The announcement that the bloc was now too small too continue as a grouping was greeted with applause. Dutch Labour MEP Jan Marinus Wiersma made the following comment:
"I'm glad they have proved they are unable to work together. We all heaved a sigh of relief when we heard that the bloc had disintegrated. It put a smile on my face. This also means that there is little coherence in the far-right movement where Europe is concerned."
Weakened far-right
The collapse of the grouping is a clear sign of a weakened European far-right movement. The MEPs who once formed ITS - which stands for Identity, Tradition and Sovereignty - have lost quite a few privileges with the loss of 'bloc' status. Vlaams Belang MEP Philip Claeys, one of the bloc's former members, said:
"It is unfortunate that we no longer have the privileges enjoyed by other groupings in parliament, such as the right to submit resolutions and amendments. We are also barred from supplying chairpersons for commissions and are now entitled to less support staff. It is a weakening of our position, we will continue to do our work, but it is going to be more difficult." It would appear the far-right grouping will not soon rise again from its ashes, even though the parties themselves hope to return stronger than ever after the 2009 European elections.
Tags:
European Parliament,
European politics,
Far-right,
ITS,
Mussolini,
Vlaams Belang
Sandra,
19-11-2007
- Nederlands
Bush is the cause of the sagging dollar and the billions of tax payers dollars on his illegal iraq war. The war on terror= islamophobia and xenophobia = now there are far more terrorists because of Bush and his illegal war.
The recent facism and nazism is coming from the USA internet sites and spreading to Europe. Too bad Europe doesn't take back the United states, give back the 13 colonies to the Native Indians that were originally theirs and Europe keep the other states for Europe where it was rightfully theirs in the first place and make Bush and all his supporters face an international war crimes trial. The sagging US dollar and the corruption from Corporate greed in the US housing market credit crunch shows that the USA is ready to fall anyway. Might as well let Europe take back the country that they helped build and make it a democratic part of Europe that it once was.
silvio,
17-11-2007
- italy
Mr Mihaescu is right, far right: To my mind Alessandra Mussolini has nothing to do with politics. The reason Mihaescu and Mussolini disagree is the presence of a big number of immigrants of Romanian nationality in Italy. The problem has been discussed between the PM Prodi and the Romanian government in reasonable terms, since Romania and Italy are economically, culturally and politically (since January 1st 2007) related. It is clear after the collapse of the ITS bloc that far right movements at the European level are self-contradictory. Not only their nationalism is too often opposed to any kind of collaboration and dialogue between member states within the EU, but it is also self-defeating within the single member states. I would like to know better what is happening in Belgium in these weeks and I despise that RNW is not paying extensive and close attention to what is happening in its neighbouring country. Also in Italy I think there is a lack of attention towards what is happening in Belgium: too much domestic politics, in my own country, can be lethal to the EU. I write english better than Berlusconi, despite his remarkable efforts.
Blake Finley,
15-11-2007
- USA
I'm American but have studied and watched European politics consistently for over 3 years. European fascism has NOT disappeared... it merely has had a facelift, and the coporate/banking money is now simply behind more mainstream-looking 'characters'... more like we have in the USA now. The EU strives to make itself look non-fascist to cover up what the centralized corporate privatization agenda is really about.... Fascism with a New Face. Take a look at Bush's America to see where it leads.
