Brussels fears the rise of pro-Russian parties, governments and members of the European Parliament in the European Union

Brussels · WhySupport for Vladimir Putin's regime within the European Union is in the minority, and is far from undermining the European bloc's firm commitment to Ukraine. However, more and more parties and leaders are exploiting discontent caused by the consequences of the conflict – such as inflation or the fact of having to shoulder Ukraine's surplus agricultural production – for electoral income, and it is expected that the representation of MEPs closest to the Kremlin in the Council will increase significantly. The next European legislator, especially from the extreme right.

Opinion polls expect that the far right will obtain its best results in history in the European elections scheduled for June 9, and although it will not be essential in managing the European Union, it is expected that its number of seats will exceed 200 members in the European Parliament and become the largest number. of votes. A more important role in the European Parliament. Many far-right parties – especially before the Russian invasion of Ukraine – maintain good relations with the Kremlin or have shown sympathy with it.

In fact, this is one of the main concerns of the European Commission President and EPP candidate, Ursula von der Leyen, who has already warned that she is ready to reach an agreement with everyone, as well as with everyone. Far-right formations that are “neither pro-Putin nor anti-NATO.” This condition almost exclusively excludes the training of the far-right Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, who has shown since coming to power that she is more opposed to Moscow and supportive of European Union policies.

The same cannot be said, for example, about one of the great far-right leaders, for whom opinion polls also predict many good results: Marine Le Pen. Although since the beginning of the invasion he has somewhat concealed his sympathy for Moscow, he maintains a vague speech in which he does not take a clear position with any party and merely sends messages. Peace advocates Against the war The party of Islamophobe Eric Zemmour, who has repeatedly declared himself a big fan of Putin, is also expected to gain representation in the European Chamber for the first time.

Also in Germany

In Germany, the largest country in the European Union, the far right is also growing at breakneck speed. In the same vein as Le Pen, the country's main far-right party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD), criticizes alleged war-mongering by NATO against Russia or EU sanctions on the Kremlin, and tends to ignore the imperialism of the Russian regime. The main cause of conflict.

This discourse is particularly rooted in the former East Germany and is among the most nostalgic for the Soviet Union. And not just with far-right voters, but also with the party on the ideological side of the opposite pole. In fact, there were different voices from the Die Linke party (Left, in Catalan) that stood at equal distance regarding the Russian invasion, and even opposed the military aid sent by Germany and the European Union to Ukrainian forces.

In fact, the post-communist party has suffered some division in the wake of the war in Ukraine and the role Berlin has to play in conquering Putin's regime. Former Die Linke member Sarah Wagenknecht even founded a new party that German media describe as left-wing populist. She herself asserts that she is conservative in some aspects, such as immigration, and progressive in economic matters. Opinion polls also indicate that he will gain representation.

But in other countries, pro-Russian supporters have already reached the government. Aside from the Hungarian far-right Viktor Orbán, who is always at odds with the rest of the EU and tries to block all initiatives to help Ukraine, last fall the pro-Russian left-wing populist candidate Robert also won the elections in Slovakia. At the moment, he does not look like a stone in the shoe like Orban, as he threatened during the election campaign, but he often makes statements in favor of Putin's theses and demands, for example, that Ukraine “cede” part of its territory or said and added that “there is no war.” In Kiev” because “the situation is completely normal”, he also hinted that some member states “have interests” in waging war against Russia.

Aside from Hungary and Slovakia, the Kremlin's closest partners in the EU, there are also concerns about Bulgaria, where there is also a very high percentage of the population who feel close to Putin's regime. Indeed, the country's most important pro-Russian ultranationalist party is increasingly gaining popular support and influence.

Espionage in the European Parliament

Apart from the increase in the number of pro-Russian representatives in the European Parliament in the next legislative body, various cases of alleged espionage by MEPs on behalf of the Kremlin have emerged over the past few days. The most controversial case exposed in the press and actually investigated by the European Chamber itself is that of Tatiana Zhdanuka from Russian-speaking Latvia, but various MEPs complained that she was not the only one and this week avoided sending a letter to the President of the European Parliament. European Parliament, Roberta Mitsola, noted that “there are more MPs working for Russia's interests.”