ECR Co-Chairmen Ryszard Legutko and Raffaele Fitto meet with conservative party leaders Jarosław Kaczyński, Giorgia Meloni and Santiago Abascal Conde.

The Co-Chairmen of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group in the European Parliament, Ryszard Legutko and Raffaele Fitto, met with conservative party leaders Jarosław Kaczyński (PiS, Poland), Giorgia Meloni (FdI, Italy) and Santiago Abascal Conde (Vox, Spain) in Warsaw yesterday.

The Conservative politicians discussed the current situation on the centre-right of the political spectrum in the European Parliament. The ECR Group characterizes the current political climate in the European Parliament as devoid of fair and robust discussion. Therefore, the political leaders exchanged views on how to bundle efforts together more effectively to restore democratic equilibrium. In the ongoing Conference on the Future of Europe, they will defend the idea of a Europe of Nations, without unnecessary bureaucracy and further transfers of sovereignty to Brussels. The conservative leaders announced further talks, with the possibility of a joint declaration which could encourage like-minded Europeans to come together for the same causes.

Speaking after the meeting, Co-Chairman Raffaele Fitto said:

We conservatives who want to preserve our national democracies are concerned that the Conference on the Future of Europe, organised by the European Institutions, is not framed impartially and simply used as another opportunity to promote left-wing ideas and the usual federalist agenda of forming a European super-state. We are open to taking part in this debate, but call on the political leadership of the Conference to take the political balance more seriously. Otherwise, the Conference will fail and bring more discord to Europe than good.

Our idea of Europe is different than that of the federalists: Our shared values champion the family as the bedrock of society, the sovereign integrity of the nation-state, opposition to EU federalism, and a renewed respect for true subsidiarity, as well as freedom of the individual, and greater democratic accountability. We also want effectively controlled immigration and to put an end to the abuse of asylum procedures. We consider these goals sensible and ask that they be considered, as well.

Co-Chairman Ryszard Legutko added:

The limits of the European Union’s competences are set by the principle of conferral: all competences not conferred on the Union belong to the member states. We believe that consensus should remain the basic means of reaching a common position in the EU.

In recent years, we have seen the political spectrum in the European Parliament shift further to the left. We need a conservative renaissance, including a great and united team to defend those values that define our nations, societies, and continent. It is clear to us that we have to say: Up to here and no further.

Source: ECR