The “Great Patriotic Convention” was held in Madrid last weekend. National conservative and radical right-wing parties gathered ahead of the upcoming European elections, where they hope for great victories.
Vox leader Santiago Abascal called for unity against “globalism and its socialist soul” and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán urged “patriots to occupy Brussels”.
Over 11,000 people are said to have attended the conference, organized by Spain’s Vox and attended by Marine le Pen (France), Viktor Orbán (Hungary) and Giorgia Meloni (Italy) – as well as Argentina’s outspoken President Javier Milei.
Milei, who has made a name for himself as a radical anti-communist, called on the right to unite against the “black, vile, satanic cancer that is socialism”. Similar messages were conveyed by several other right-wing leaders who spoke at the event.
– Socialism is an ideology that goes directly against human nature and is certain to lead to slavery or death, the President proclaimed.
– We are in the final push to make June 9 a day of liberation and hope. We have three weeks to convince our fellow countrymen to go out and vote, declared Le Pen.
Les promoteurs de l’Union européenne, avec à leur tête le duo Macron / von der Leyen, ne sont jamais repus et veulent désormais entrainer notre continent dans une quasi-fusion européenne, une marche forcée vers un super-État européen centralisé. #VIVA24 pic.twitter.com/20w0oyaA3k
— Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) May 19, 2024
“Strong borders”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni participated via video link and addressed the young people present, proclaiming that they “are the only possible future for Europe”.
The assembled parties strongly criticized the EU’s climate alarmist policies and illegal immigration, while declaring their full support for Israel in its war against Hamas.
Defending the EU’s borders was another key theme, with André Ventura, leader of the Portuguese Chega party, stating that mass immigration cannot be allowed to continue.
– We are not against human rights, but we want strong borders in Europe… We cannot continue to have this massive influx of Islamic and Muslim immigrants into Europe.
Meloni advocated the strategy of concluding agreements with non-EU countries and sending asylum seekers there while their application processes are being handled. Le Pen wants to reform the Schengen area so that “Europe allows each country to choose who enters and who leaves its territory”.
Ha llegado el momento de los patriotas.
Defender la verdad, la libertad y nuestra civilización no es una opción, es nuestro deber histórico.
Y tenemos al mejor líder @Santi_ABASCAL 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/PHCEKa29DR
— Ignacio Garriga (@Igarrigavaz) May 19, 2024
“Alliance of patriots”
Vox leader Santiago Abascal also called on the world’s ‘patriotic’ parties to join forces to fight the forces that rule.
– In the face of globalism, we must respond with a global alliance of patriots in defense of common sense, economic prosperity, security and freedom because we share the threat, and that leads us to solidarity.
The conservative and nationalist right is expected to make big gains in the upcoming European elections, while more left-liberal parties are expected to lose many seats in Parliament.