European Parliament launches probe into far-right ESN alliance over democratic values
The European Parliament on Tuesday launched a landmark investigation into the far-right Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) alliance, a move that could strip the group of its status as a recognized European political party and cut off its EU funding. The vote, passed by 414 to 224 with 18 abstentions, tasks the Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations (APPF) with assessing whether the ESN complies with the EU’s core democratic values. “No EU taxpayer money for those who trample on the fundamental values upon which the Union was founded,” Socialist MEP Alessandro Zan said after the secret ballot .
The ESN, founded in August 2024 by eight far-right parties including Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD), Poland’s Confederation, and France’s Reconquête, has faced mounting criticism over statements by its members that MEPs argue violate EU principles. Evidence cited by the APPF includes racist banners displayed by the Czech SPD party, Bulgaria’s Revival party’s attempt to block a film featuring homosexuality, and a German court ruling that deemed AfD’s policy programme “contrary to human dignity and freedom of religion.” The ESN condemned the decision, arguing in a statement that its members “must remain free to speak openly about the concerns of the people they represent, without the threat of administrative procedures or financial sanctions, simply because their views challenge the political consensus” .
The vote reflects deep divisions within the Parliament over the ESN’s alleged violations. The right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists and the far-right Patriots for Europe groups opposed the measure, while the European People’s Party, Greens, Socialists, and Liberals backed it. The Greens/EFA Group, which collected over 200 signatures to trigger the review, accused the ESN of inciting hatred after its MEPs chanted “send them back” during a recent vote on deportation regulations. “Those who incite hatred and violate European core values should not be rewarded with millions from taxpayers’ money,” German Greens MEP Daniel Freund said, estimating the ESN’s 2026 EU funding at around €2 million .
In a separate development, the Parliament also advanced a contentious proposal to combat online child sexual abuse, reigniting debates over privacy and surveillance. On Tuesday, MEPs approved an emergency procedure to reintroduce temporary exemptions to the EU’s ePrivacy directive, allowing messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram to scan communications for child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The measure passed 331 to 304 with 11 abstentions, despite opposition from Greens and liberal MEPs who warn it could enable mass surveillance. “We will clearly vote against the return of indiscriminate mass surveillance,” Austrian Green MEP Lena Schilling and Austrian FPÖ MEP Petra Steger said in a joint statement .
The emergency procedure, initially proposed by Parliament President Roberta Metsola, aims to bridge a legal gap while a broader legislative framework remains stalled. The temporary exemptions, first introduced in 2021, expired in April after the Parliament rejected a two-year extension. Critics argue the move circumvents democratic scrutiny, with Belgian Ecolo MEP Saskia Bricmont accusing Metsola and the European People’s Party of “revisiting the Parliament’s position to bow to the Council” .
Meanwhile, Latvia’s Reform Party withheld support for a proposal to end the EU’s unanimity rule in foreign policy, signaling continued resistance to deeper integration among some member states . The Parliament’s actions on Tuesday underscore the EU’s ongoing struggle to balance democratic accountability, privacy rights, and the fight against extremism and online abuse.
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