BUDAPEST, July 8. /TASS/. The Patriots for Europe right-wing conservative group will be the third largest in the European Parliament (EP) and will consist of 84 lawmakers from 14 parties from 12 member states, Hungarian politician Kinga Gal, who was elected vice-president of the group, said.
"Patriots for Europe has become the third largest faction in the European Parliament and its biggest patriotic group ever. Their goal is to change the policy of the European Union for the better," the MEP said.
Jordan Bardella, leader of France's National Rally party, was elected president of the group at its inaugural meeting in Brussels. The new supranational group, created at the initiative of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, includes right-wing conservative parties from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the Czech Republic.
The largest number of MEPs in the new group are from National Rally (30), Fidesz - Hungarian Civic Alliance (10) and Italy’s League (8). The Action of Dissatisfied Citizens (Czech Republic) has delegated eight representatives. Austria’s Freedom Party, Spain’s Vox and Party for Freedom (the Netherlands) have six MEPs each in the group.