The European centre right (EPP) is courting Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s Prime Minister and a key figure in the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) party as a potential ally for pro-European coalitions.
However, there are no pro-European or pro-rule of law alliances possible with the far right. New analysis of ECR and Identity and Democracy (ID) voting records shows that they share a clear track record at EU and national level, to undermine the rule of law, dismantle climate policies and subvert the European project.
Full analysis of the legislative track record of the ECR and ID groups in the European Parliament.
As the European elections approach, the European Greens are sounding the alarm about the threat posed by the far right, including Giorgia Meloni, to Europe’s democracy, and to efforts to tackle dangerous climate change by ensuring the continuation of the Green Deal.
“Giorgia Meloni presents herself as a pro-European democrat, but her actions speak louder than her words. Under her government, Italy has seen unprecedented attacks on press freedom, assaults on women’s rights, and a troubling nostalgia for fascist ideologies. Her agenda is not to build Europe but to dismantle it. Working with her risks enabling a political movement intent on eroding the very foundations of the European Union. Europe’s conservatives need to decide which direction they will turn. Greens stand ready to work in a progressive majority to set the course” said Bas Eickhout, European Greens lead candidate.
The ECR group shares a disturbingly similar voting record with the Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament. They consistently vote against key founding values of the EU, from the rule of law to press freedom. Our analysis shows that ECR has moved from positioning itself somewhere between EPP and ID to striking proximity to ID. In 2023, ECR and ID voted together 70% of the time. There are 3490 instances when only ECR and ID voted in the same anti-European, anti-democratic way, while all the other political groups took a more constructive line.
“Voting records in the European Parliament show that the ECR and ID groups are two sides of the same far-right coin. Be it on democracy, on desperately needed climate action, or on fundamental rights, they vote together, and they vote to undo progress in Europe. Far-right scapegoating offers no solutions for Europe. The forthcoming elections are more than a contest for political power; they are a battle for the soul of Europe. It is imperative that voters reject those who seek to dismantle Europe from within,” said Terry Reintke, European Green Lead Candidate.
Full analysis of the legislative track record of the ECR and ID groups in the European Parliament.
