The new group leader of the Greens in the European Parliament warns of the increasing importance of right-wing extremists in the EU. “We have growing right-wing extremist, anti-European, authoritarian movements,” Terry Reintke told the German Press Agency, referring to the elections in Sweden and Italy. The 35-year-old said that this will also have an impact on joint decisions by the EU countries.
“It will be very important for us in the European Parliament to take a clear stand against this and to defend the fundamental values of the European Union – things like democracy, the rule of law, fundamental rights.” She wants to contribute to this as chairman.
Current examples: Italy and Sweden
The far-right Fratelli d’Italia in Italy clearly became the strongest party in the elections at the end of September. Party leader Giorgia Meloni is currently negotiating with the right-wing populist Lega and the conservative Forza Italia about filling the ministries. In Sweden, the four-party bloc of the conservative Ulf Kristersson, including the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats, achieved a narrow majority with 176 seats in the September 11 election.
Reinkte is a little more optimistic about Great Britain. She had campaigned for the British to remain in the EU and, in view of the crises there, hopes in some places that the British government will be more pragmatic.
But Reintke also emphasized: “A lot of trust has been destroyed by the behavior of the British government under Boris Johnson.” The new government under Liz Truss is currently sliding from one domestic political crisis to the next. It was only on Friday that she fired her finance minister, Kwasi Kwarteng, after criticism of recently announced tax plans.
