Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty
Encyclopedia
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
composed of 23 members
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
from European parties variously described as right-wing and nationalist. A common political charter for the group was signed on 9 January 2007, and the group was formally recognized by Parliamentary president
President of the European Parliament
The President of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. He or she also represents the Parliament within the EU and internationally. The President's signature is required for enacting most EU laws and the EU budget.Presidents serve...
Josep Borrell
Josep Borrell
Josep Borrell Fontelles is a Spanish politician. He was nominated President of the European University Institute on 12 December 2008, and assumed this position in January 2010. Borrell was President of the European Parliament from 20 July 2004 until 16 January 2007...
at the start of the EP plenary session on 15 January. Following remarks made by ITS member Alessandra Mussolini
Alessandra Mussolini
Alessandra Mussolini is an Italian politician, the granddaughter of Benito Mussolini, and previously an actress and model...
that Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n ITS members found insulting, the Greater Romania Party
Greater Romania Party
The Greater Romania Party is a Romanian radical right-wing, ultra-nationalist political party, led by Corneliu Vadim Tudor. The party is sometimes referred to in English as the Great Romania Party....
(PRM) withdrew from the group, thus disqualifying it as an official group. Hence, it formally ceased to exist on 14 November 2007.
History
To form a political group in the European Parliament, there needed to be 20 MEPs from six different states (subsequently increased to 25 MEPs from seven states, for the 2009 session). The accession of BulgariaBulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
brought into the European Parliament a number of new far right MEPs providing sufficient numbers to form a far right group. Incentives for forming a group are approximately €1 million in public funds and guaranteed seats on the committees of the European Parliament. There were concerns in other parties about public funds and influence going towards a group with such an ideology. Despite attempts to block the group's formation, it was formed on 15 January 2007. However other MEPs successfully blocked ITS from gaining positions on Parliamentary committees, including two vice-presidencies, despite normally being entitled to them.
The largest component was France's National Front and its chairman in the Parliament, Bruno Gollnisch
Bruno Gollnisch
Bruno Gollnisch is a French academic and politician, a member of the National Front far-right party, and a member of the European Parliament. He was chairman of the European Parliamentary group 'Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty' in 2007, which was dissolved in November 2007 following the...
, was chair of the ITS group. The National Front had previous allied with other far right groups in the 1980s. Following the Bulgarian European Parliament elections
European Parliament election, 2007 (Bulgaria)
Bulgaria elected its members of the European Parliament in a by-election on 20 May 2007. It was the country's first European election, having joined the Union on 1 January of that year. The country now has 18 MEPs, no change from before the election. Previously Bulgaria was represented by MEPs...
, the group gained two more Ataka MEPs, Slavcho Binev
Slavcho Binev
Slavcho Penchev Binev Slavcho Penchev Binev Slavcho Penchev Binev (sometimes (Slavi Binev) was born on December 10, 1965 in Sofia, Bulgaria.Slavcho Binev was elected member of the European Parliament from Bulgaria on May 20, 2007. He was a member of the Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty (ITS)...
and Desislav Chukolov
Desislav Chukolov
Desislav Slavov Chukolov born on December 22, 1974 in Ruse, Bulgaria.Desislav Chukolov was elected member of the European Parliament from Bulgaria on May 20, 2007. He was a member of the Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty political group until the group ceased to exist on November 14, 2007. He is...
.
The PRM announced on 8 November 2007 that it would withdraw its five members from the group on 12 November 2007 over comments made by Alessandra Mussolini
Alessandra Mussolini
Alessandra Mussolini is an Italian politician, the granddaughter of Benito Mussolini, and previously an actress and model...
over the expulsion of Romanian criminals from Italy in early November 2007, thus dooming the parliamentary group to falter less than a year after its creation. Andreas Mölzer
Andreas Mölzer
Andreas Mölzer is an Austrian politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Freedom Party of Austria.- Biography :...
stated in an interview with Die Presse
Die Presse
Die Presse is an Austrian daily newspaper based in Vienna. It was founded in 1946 by World War II resistance fighter Ernst Molden and stands in tradition of the Viennese newspapers "Die Presse" and "Neue Freie Presse" . The paper covers general news topics...
that the group was searching for other MEPs who might join their group to save it. Other MEPs have already welcomed the prospect of the group's demise with Alyn Smith
Alyn Smith
Alyn Smith is a Scottish politician, and Scottish National Party Member of the European Parliament for Scotland.He is also the SNP's agricultural spokesman.-Early life and career:...
MEP stating that it "warms the heart" to watch them arguing amongst themselves. During the previous months, the group had failed to act as a coherent political faction.
It was announced that the group had been dissolved on 14 November 2007 after four of the five PRM members left the group,.
Policies
The group's founding charter has been described as "broadly anti-immigration, anti-EU constitutionTreaty establishing a Constitution for Europe
The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe , , was an unratified international treaty intended to create a consolidated constitution for the European Union...
and anti-Turkish EU membership
Accession of Turkey to the European Union
Turkey's application to accede to the European Union was made on 14 April 1987. Turkey has been an associate member of the European Union and its predecessors since 1963...
," while participants have emphasised that the group will function relatively loosely. Alessandra Mussolini described it as "more a technical than a political group [...] We are mainly getting together out of necessity. Survival is only possible in a political group."
The Romanian PRM leader stated that he favours a strong association and eventual EU membership for Turkey provided it settles the dispute regarding Cyprus and that the common ground for the new group is based exactly on the values the group's name suggests.
Membership
| Party and State | Seats | MEP | Bureau position |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Front |
7 | Bruno Gollnisch Bruno Gollnisch Bruno Gollnisch is a French academic and politician, a member of the National Front far-right party, and a member of the European Parliament. He was chairman of the European Parliamentary group 'Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty' in 2007, which was dissolved in November 2007 following the... |
Chairman |
| Carl Lang Carl Lang Carl Lang is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament for the north-west of France. He was member of the National Front from 1978 to 2008; he is currently president and co-founder of the Party of France... |
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| Jean-Marie Le Pen Jean-Marie Le Pen Jean-Marie Le Pen is a French far right-wing and nationalist politician who is founder and former president of the Front National party. Le Pen has run for the French presidency five times, most notably in 2002, when in a surprise upset he came second, polling more votes in the first round than... |
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| Marine Le Pen Marine Le Pen Marine Le Pen is a French politician, a lawyer by profession and the president of the Front National since 16 January 2011... |
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| Fernand Le Rachinel Fernand Le Rachinel Fernand Le Rachinel is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament for the north-west of France. He is a member of the Front National, and is therefore a Non-Inscrit in the European Parliament... |
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| Jean-Claude Martinez Jean-Claude Martinez Jean-Claude Martinez is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament for the south-west of France. He was a member of the Front National, and was among the Non-Inscrits until the 2007 formation of the Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty Group in the European Parliament... |
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| Lydia Schenardi Lydia Schenardi Lydia Schenardi is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament for the south-east of France. She is a member of the Front National, and is therefore a Non-Inscrit in the European Parliament... |
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| Greater Romania Party Greater Romania Party The Greater Romania Party is a Romanian radical right-wing, ultra-nationalist political party, led by Corneliu Vadim Tudor. The party is sometimes referred to in English as the Great Romania Party.... |
5 | Daniela Buruiană Daniela Buruiana Daniela Buruiană Aprodu is a Romanian politician and Member of the European Parliament. She is a member of the Greater Romania Party, part of the Identity/Sovereignty/Transparency group, and became an MEP on 1 January 2007 with the accession of Romania to the European Union.-External links:**... |
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| Eugen Mihăescu Eugen Mihaescu Eugen Mihăescu is a Romanian politician and the vice-chair of the far-right Identity, Tradition and Sovereignty group in the European Parliament. He is a member of the Greater Romania Party and has been a Member of the European Parliament since 1 January 2007 with the accession of Romania to the... |
Vice-chairman | ||
| Viorica Moisuc Viorica Moisuc Viorica Georgeta Pompilia Moisuc is a Romanian politician and Member of the European Parliament. Moisuc is a member of the Greater Romania Party, part of the Identity/Sovereignty/Transparency group, and became an MEP on 1 January 2007 with the accession of Romania to the European Union.-External... |
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| Petre Popeangă Petre Popeanga Petre Popeangă is a Romanian politician and Member of the European Parliament. He is a member of the Greater Romania Party. He became a delegate MEP on 1 January 2007 with the accession of Romania to the European Union. Until November 14, 2007 he was a member of the Identity, Tradition,... |
Treasurer | ||
| Cristian Stănescu Cristian Stanescu Cristian Stănescu is a Romanian politician and Member of the European Parliament. Stănescu is a member of the Greater Romania Party, part of the Identity/Sovereignty/Transparency group, and became an MEP on 1 January 2007 with the accession of Romania to the European Union. Mr... |
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| Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
Mircea Coşea Mircea Cosea Dumitru Gheorghe Mircea Coşea is a Romanian politician, economist, diplomat, essayist, journalist and professor. A former member of the Party of Social Democracy until June 1997, he joined Teodor Meleşcanu and Iosif Boda in creating the short-lived Alliance for Romania party, which merged into... |
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| Flemish Interest Vlaams Belang Vlaams Belang is a Belgian far-right political party in the Flemish Region and Brussels that advocates the independence of Flanders and strict limits on immigration, whereby immigrants would be obliged to adopt Flemish culture and language... |
3 | Philip Claeys Philip Claeys Philip Claeys is a Belgian politician and Member of the European Parliament for Flanders with the Vlaams Belang, a far-right political party condemning immigration, social integration, and fighting against the federal unity of Belgium.He sits on its Committee on Foreign Affairs, and is a... |
Vice-chairman |
| Koenraad Dillen Koenraad Dillen Koenraad Francine Gaston "Koen" Dillen is a Belgian politician and Member of the European Parliament for Flanders with the Vlaams Belang, sitting in the Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty group in the European Parliament... |
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| Frank Vanhecke Frank Vanhecke Frank Arthur Hyppolite Vanhecke started his career in Belgian politics as a student by joining the Jong Studentenverbond and later the Nationalistische Studentenvereniging. He gave up his membership of the Volksunie in 1977 after it acceded to a much-debated package of federal reforms... |
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| National Union Attack National Union Attack The National Union Attack is a nationalist political party in Bulgaria. At the last legislative elections, 5 July 2009, it won 9.4% of the popular vote and 21 out of 240 seats... |
3 | Dimitar Stoyanov Dimitar Stoyanov (politician) Dimitar Kinov Stoyanov is a Bulgarian and EU politician.While still a student of Law at Sofia University, Dimitar Stoyanov joined the National Union Attack party headed by Volen Siderov. Stoyanov was elected in 2005 as the youngest member of the National Assembly of Bulgaria on the list of the... |
Member at large, representing Ataka |
| Slavcho Binev Slavcho Binev Slavcho Penchev Binev Slavcho Penchev Binev Slavcho Penchev Binev (sometimes (Slavi Binev) was born on December 10, 1965 in Sofia, Bulgaria.Slavcho Binev was elected member of the European Parliament from Bulgaria on May 20, 2007. He was a member of the Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty (ITS)... |
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| Desislav Chukolov Desislav Chukolov Desislav Slavov Chukolov born on December 22, 1974 in Ruse, Bulgaria.Desislav Chukolov was elected member of the European Parliament from Bulgaria on May 20, 2007. He was a member of the Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty political group until the group ceased to exist on November 14, 2007. He is... |
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| Social Alternative |
1 | Alessandra Mussolini Alessandra Mussolini Alessandra Mussolini is an Italian politician, the granddaughter of Benito Mussolini, and previously an actress and model... |
Member at large, representing AS |
| Tricolour Flame |
1 | Luca Romagnoli Luca Romagnoli Luca Romagnoli is an Italian politician and former Member of the European Parliament for Southern Italy with the neo-fascist party Fiamma Tricolore, being a Non-Inscrit in the European Parliament.He sat on its Committee on Transport and Tourism, and was a substitute for the Committee on... |
Member at large, representing FT |
| Freedom Party Freedom Party of Austria The Freedom Party of Austria is a political party in Austria. Ideologically, the party is a direct descendant of the German national liberal camp, which dates back to the 1848 revolutions. The FPÖ itself was founded in 1956 as the successor to the short-lived Federation of Independents , which had... |
1 | Andreas Mölzer Andreas Mölzer Andreas Mölzer is an Austrian politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Freedom Party of Austria.- Biography :... |
Member at large, representing FPÖ |
See also
- EuronatEuronatEuroNat is an organisation of European nationalist political parties, formed initially at the congress of the French National Front in Strasbourg on 30 March 1997. It had a loose organisational structure, and was in practice based on coordination by activities of the FN...
- European National FrontEuropean National FrontEuropean National Front is a coordinating structure of European Third Positionist, anti-communist and nationalist parties. Sometimes members of the ENF also use anti-capitalist rhetoric...
- Group of the European Right (1984–89)
- Technical Group of the European Right (1989–94)
- Pan-European identityPan-European identityPan-European identity refers to the sense of personal identification with Europe. The most concrete examples of pan-europeanism are the European Union and the older Council of Europe...
External links
- New political group: Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty in Opening of the January plenary session - Welcome of Bulgarian and Romanian MEPs / Formation of a new political group, European ParliamentEuropean ParliamentThe European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
News (2007-01-15) - Kontakt. Programm für Kunst und Zivilgesellschaft: Extended European right-wing extremism: new patriots, new alliances, (2007-03-27)
- Who's who in EU's new far-right group, BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
(2007-01-12) - Matthew TempestMatthew TempestMatthew Tempest is a British journalist currently based in Paris for the AFP news agency, which he joined in late 2007. He was formerly a political correspondent and blogger for Guardian Unlimited, the Guardian newspaper's London-based website, which he joined in 2001...
: British MEP joins far-right group, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
(2007-01-11) - Ian Traynor: Romania's first gift to the European Union - a caucus of neo-fascists and Holocaust deniers, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
(2007-01-08)