Chega will join the new political group Patriots for Europe in the European Parliament, leaving the political family to which it belonged, Identity and Democracy, the party’s president announced this Friday.
“After a process that was handled institutionally and politically, Chega decided to officially join the European group of Patriots for Europe”, stated André Ventura, indicating that the decision was taken by the National Directorate on Tuesday the fair.
Chega was part of the political group Identity and Democracy (ID), but only in the last European elections in June did it elect two deputies to the European Parliament, António Tânger Corrêa and Tiago Moreira de Sá.
The leader of Chega said that the political group Patriots for Europe, which is being promoted by the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, “has removed unnecessary radicalism and is focused on being a government in its various countries”expressing an “ambition that no one else on the right had”.
André Ventura justified this change by the “program to fight corruption, illegal immigration” and the “protection of security forces”. “This is a political family that respects the sovereignty of each nation and party,” he added.
Regarding the war in Ukraine, he indicated that a “red line” of that political family is support for that country. “Support for Ukraine is decisive, we wouldn’t be there if it weren’t like this”said the Chega leader, also emphasizing the “Atlantic link”, namely to countries such as the United States of America or Brazil.
André Ventura also indicated that his party is represented “at the highest level” in this group, but sent more details to next week.
The president of Chega highlighted that the Spanish party Vox had also joined the Patriots for Europe, saying that he was personally committed to this change in this political force that previously included the Conservatives and Reformists. “We could have a larger group than conservatives and liberals in the European Parliament”he stated, considering that it is an “absolutely radical difference compared to the previous panorama”.
André Ventura also considered that it could be “the main opposition group” to socialists and popular people. The leader of Chega also said he hopes that the parties of French Marine de Le Pen, National Union, and Italian Matteo Salvini, League, will join this new European political family.
On Sunday, Ventura had already said he “welcomed” the integration of his party into the new European Parliament group that is being formed by nationalist parties.
At the time, he was in favor of this accession to unite the European right and announced that he would promote a meeting of Chega’s National Directorate on Tuesday, so that a Council could be convened National party enlarged to discuss integration into Patriots for Europe.
The leader of Chega indicated that the decision was taken by the National Directorate and that the National Council – the highest body among conventions – “only ratifies the decision”.
