Belgian police put restrictions on the European right-wing conference

According to the report of the international group Tasnim news agency quoting “Spiegel” weekly newspaper, Brussels police yesterday blocked the entrance to the right-wing populist conference in this city. Viktor Orbán, the Prime Minister of Hungary and Hans-Georg Massen, the former head of the German Internal Intelligence Organization, have also been invited to this meeting. Due to security issues, the police blocked the entrance to the conference for several hours yesterday.

On Tuesday, Nigel Farage, the former leader of the British Brexit party, Suella Braverman, was supposed to meet. British radical conservative and French far-right Eric Zemor participate in this far-right conference. On Wednesday, Hans-Georg Massen, the head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, and Viktor Orbán, the right-wing prime minister of Hungary, will also join the meeting. But it is not clear whether and how the conference of European right-wing populists and nationalists will continue in Brussels. The ceremony was prevented and the speakers were also forced to stay outside. The police later announced that the mayor in charge had ordered the operation. Organizers cited security concerns, and the mayor reportedly feared racist or homophobic comments would be heard from conference attendees. Further details were initially unclear.

Despite the entrance doors being blocked, the conference organizers allowed the conference to continue with lectures and panel discussions, including Nigel Farage delivered his speech as scheduled. It is not yet possible to predict what will happen today (Wednesday). But the intervention of the police has been criticized both in Belgium and internationally. read. The liberal politician wrote in X: Local autonomy is the cornerstone of Belgian democracy, but it can never override the Belgian constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

The British government also clearly criticized this action. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Rishi Sonak said the reports were “extremely worrying”. This spokesperson continued that the suspension of events is harmful to freedom of expression and democracy.

Far-right parties are trying to attract more votes on the eve of the European elections, which is a matter of concern.

A study recently published by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) predicts that in the EU elections in June 2024, there will be a significant shift to the right, so anti-European populist parties will be at the top of the vote in nine EU member states, including Austria, and in second or third place in nine other countries.

These conditions could threaten key pillars of the European agenda, including the European Green Deal, continued support for Ukraine and future EU enlargement.

Accordingly, in France, Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party is likely to lose significant ground to Marine Le Pen’s far-right party.

The study predicts that the results of European elections can herald national elections in EU member states such as Austria, Germany and France:

Accordingly, in Austria, increasing support for the extreme Freedom Party of Austria The FPÖ could continue until the National Assembly elections in the fall of 2024.

In Germany, too, the expected influence of the extreme Alternative for Germany party could shape the political landscape and political narrative ahead of the federal elections. 2025 in this country.

Simon Hicks, one of the authors of this article and a professor at the European University Institute in Florence, said: Considering the rise and rise of populism , which can reach new heights with the return of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States later this year, the parties of the political center must wake up and clearly address the wishes of the voters.

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