European elections: PVV wants to be in new European faction with Le Pen and Meloni

The PVV wants to join the newly formed European faction of radical right-wing parties in the European Parliament. Marine Le Pen, the leader of the French Rassemblement National (formerly Front National), wants to establish such a new faction. "If we get seats, we would like to join in," said PVV party leader Sebastiaan Stöteler in Op1.

The new faction should consist of parties currently belonging to the European Conservatives and Reformists (which includes JA21 and SGP) and Identity and Democracy (of which the PVV was previously part of). The national-conservative movement of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni must also become part of the new European family that Le Pen hopes for.

Radical right-wing parties are expected to win a major victory in the European Parliament elections next week. Stöteler hopes that with the new group in the European Parliament, "we can achieve strong economic cooperation and not actually political integration." He also calls it "very right" that the German Alternative for Germany has been expelled from the ID faction. The European party leader of that radical party stated that not all SS men were criminals.

During the debate, PVV's position on Ukraine was also discussed. The largest Dutch party is critical of the support for the country, which is still fighting against Russia. Stöteler emphasized, however, that the incoming Cabinet has agreed in broad terms in the agreement to continue supporting Ukraine "politically, militarily, financially and morally" against Russian aggression. "We are going to help the Netherlands with this," said the PVV member. "In any case, we from the European Parliament will not bother the Dutch government."