Orbán's far-right alliance sets up European Parliament group

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's new alliance of far-right parties, the Patriots for Europe, was formally founded as a political group in the European Parliament on Monday.

Patriots for Europe will "fight for the future and sovereignty of the European people," Orbán's spokesman, Zoltán Kovács, said on X to announce the group's establishment.

It is set to be the parliament's third biggest group.

National political parties usually band together into different pan-European groups in the parliament and often vote as single blocs.

The Patriots for Europe fulfilled the requirements to set up their new group after political parties from more than seven EU countries, or more than a quarter of EU states, announced their intention to join - a key threshold under the parliament's rules.

As well as Orbán's Fidez party, the League party, which is part of the Italian government, France's National Rally, and the Freedom Party from Austria are also part of the group.

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is not a member.