Last Thursday, conservatives in the European Parliament voted in favor of a resolution on Venezuela, aligning with far-right and extreme-right parties. What’s notable here isn’t just the voting behavior—there have been occasional overlaps between pro-European and far-right groups in the past. However, in this case, a motion proposed by the European People’s Party (EPP) in collaboration with far-right parties won a majority. This is unprecedented in the history of the European Parliament. Political coordination and cooperation occurred quite openly—crossing the cordon sanitaire. The result: a majority of 309 MEPs voted in favor of the non-binding resolution, including members from EPP, Orbán’s Fidesz (Patriots), Poland’s PiS (ECR), and the AfD (ESN). What does this mean for our democracy?

EPP Breaks Its First Election Promise

During the European election campaign, Manfred Weber (CSU) and Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) repeatedly promised that there would be NO cooperation with forces that failed to meet three criteria: pro-Ukraine, pro-rule of law, and pro-Europe. This pledge lasted only until the second session of this European Parliament’s term. It’s as clear that the AfD is not pro-Europe as it is that Orbán’s Fidesz is not pro-Ukraine. Giorgia Meloni’s Italian Fratelli d’Italia shouldn’t be a partner either—they voted against nearly all rule of law resolutions in the last legislature. And yet, cooperation between conservatives and far-right forces is quietly growing in Europe.

Is the Next Deal with the Far Right Coming?

Another opportunity for cooperation between the EPP and far-right forces is just around the corner, and this time, it carries real political consequences. In the coming weeks, the candidates for the European Commissioner posts will be heard in Brussels. The Italian candidate, Raffaele Fitto (Fratelli d’Italia), who is set to become von der Leyen’s vice president, and the Hungarian candidate, Oliver Varhelyi (Fidesz), are likely to attract significant attention. Both will need EPP support to secure their positions in the next Commission. Could we be witnessing the next deal between the conservatives and the far-right? The EPP also wants its 14 Commission candidates to pass the hearings smoothly and might rely on the support of Fidesz, Fratelli, and others to make that happen.

The Gradual Normalization of the Far Right

Some conservatives in the European Parliament seem to have a simple calculation: If we can’t secure a majority for our policies with the Liberals, Social Democrats, and Greens (the so-called von der Leyen majority), then we’ll make a pact with the far right. From a power-politics perspective, this might seem pragmatic, but in reality, the EPP is harming Europe, the rule of law, Ukraine, and itself. By normalizing extreme positions, politicians, and parties on the far right, they are empowering anti-democratic forces and setting dangerous precedents.