The far-right Homeland Movement – this is the EPP’s new government coalition partner in Croatia. Prime Minister Plenković’s decision to form the government is yet another indicator that cooperation between the EPP and the far-right remains on the table.
PES Secretary General Giacomo Filibeck said:
“Prime Minister Plenković’s decision to join forces with the Homeland Movement to form Croatia’s next government is a further signal that the EPP is keeping the door open to the far-right.
“This move comes just a few days after the EPP Group refused to sign a declaration committing to rule-out cooperation with the far-right in the next mandate.
“At the same time, Prime Minister Plenković is welcoming the EPP lead candidate in Split today. We trust that this is a coincidence and not a deliberate strategy to make this type of cooperation more palatable. As Nicolas Schmit has said, a choice of coalition partner is not decided by the composition of parliament, it is a deliberate political choice.”
Last weekend, the PES family adopted the Berlin Declaration where it ruled out cooperation with the far-right.
Croatia’s Homeland Movement is preparing to join the Identity & Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament, if it secures MEPs in June.
The newly announced coalition means Croatia joins a number of other member states where the EPP relies on far-right parties to hold onto power. This includes Italy, Finland and Sweden, and regional cooperation in Spain.
In Italy, the EPP alliance with Giorgia Meloni has resulted in anti-abortion activists being allowed into family planning services. In Finland, the EPP government with the far-right True Finns party is destroying the collective bargaining system and the welfare state. And in Spain, the EPP has regional alliances with Vox, which questions LGBTI rights and the right to abortion.
