Orban was widely seen as the main driving force behind the creation of the Patriots for Europe group, but after he was removed from power, attention began to shift to a new duo: Jordan Bardella from France and Andre Ventura from Portugal.
The two used this week's event to announce their political “friendship” and shared mission as leading representatives of Europe's far-right during the group's summit in Portugal.
“We speak the same language: the language of patriotism, of European sovereignty and of the sovereignty of nations,” said Ventura, whose ultranationalist Chega party is now the third-largest force in the Portuguese parliament.
He described Bardella, who heads the dynamically growing National Union, as “the most likely future president of the French Republic.”
This is an alarm signal for Europe: the radical right is not weakening, but is opening a new chapter.
Instead of questioning the result of the key elections in Hungary on April 12, both politicians accepted the result while downplaying the significance of Orban's defeat.
Democracy in Hungary has worked very well
– said Bardella, dismissing accusations of independent journalists regarding vote buying during the election campaign.
Instead of focusing on the latest developments in Budapest, the two directed criticism at Madrid and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who earlier this month legalized the stay of half a million undocumented immigrants. Ventura accused the center-left prime minister of “putting all of Europe at risk” and said the EU should “demand accountability.”
Jordan BardellaGUILLAUME HORCAJUELO / PAP
Bardella went even further, calling Spain the “gateway of migration to Europe” and announcing tighter borders.
We will restore internal border controls… and reserve freedom of movement for European Union citizens
— he said, presenting this restrictive policy as a “defense of identity.”
The end of the Brussels dictatorship
Both politicians also used harsh words against officials in Brussels, blaming them for implementing the EU Green Deal, which the Patriots for Europe group wants to completely abolish.
Jordan Bardella assessed the actions of the European Commission as a real “disaster”, claiming that the current climate and economic policy harms European societies and weakens the competitiveness of member states.
In turn, Andre Ventura argued that “green pacts have destroyed agriculture and the provincial world”, suggesting that it is the inhabitants of rural areas and farmers who bear the greatest costs of these reforms.
Chega leader Andre Ventura in the Portuguese parliamentWikimedia Commons
In the declaration adopted and announced during the summit, the group also called for the energy policy of individual member states to remain entirely under the control of their own governments and national capitals.
At the same time, the document's signatories opposed solutions they described as “dogmatic”, which – in their opinion – are imposed from above by Brussels without due consideration for the interests of individual countries and their economic specificity.
France and Portugal turn right
It is widely expected that Jordan Bardella will run in the French presidential elections scheduled for 2027., where he may become one of the main candidates of the national-conservative camp. His growing popularity and strong position in the National Union mean that he is increasingly seen as one of the most serious contenders for the highest office in the country.
Andre Ventura, in turn, managed to advance to the second round of this year's presidential elections in Portugal, confirming the growing importance of his formation on the national political scene. Current opinion polls show that his party, Chega, can count on the support of about one fifth of voters, making it one of the strongest political forces in the country and an important player in future government arrangements.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
