European far-right attacks EU at rally in Loiret

The European far right displayed a facade of unity and an aggressive rhetoric against the European Union and its migration policy on Monday, June 9, during a large demonstration organized by the National Rally (RN) in Loiret. In front of several thousand activists gathered for the "Victory Day," one year after the RN's breakthrough in the European elections, the main leaders of the continent's far-right parties issued a series of inflammatory statements.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban set the tone by comparing European migration policy to an "organized exchange of populations" aimed at "replacing the cultural base" of the continent. "We will not let them destroy our cities, rape our girls and women, kill peaceful citizens," he declared to the loud applause of supporters boasting of having "pushed the migrants back " to Hungary.

In this speech, delivered in Hungarian and translated live into French, the leader clearly targeted the EU, assuming its role as "the black sheep of the European Union" , "the nightmare of Brussels" . He urged the National Rally to assert itself in the upcoming elections: "Without you, we will not be able to occupy Brussels (...) We will not be able to save Hungary from the Brussels guillotine" , declared Viktor Orban.

Marine Le Pen went on to describe the European Union as a "merchant, woke, ultraliberal empire" that "imposes and oppresses" nations. "It's an empire against our people," she insisted, castigating "the cold, impersonal, authoritarian bureaucratic machine" of Brussels.

The RN leader promised to "put things in order" and "finish the game to win it," clearly evoking her ambition to see the far right conquer power in France and Europe. She described European migration policy as a "pact of migratory submersion" and an orchestrated "demographic dilution ," while rejecting the prospect of a "Frexit," preferring to "change the EU from within ."

On the war in Ukraine , Marine Le Pen castigated what she called a " programmed war project" by the EU, accusing her of devoting "all its energy" to supporting Kiev to the detriment of European national interests.

Jordan Bardella , president of the RN and head of the list for the 2024 European elections, closed the speeches by posing as a "champion" of a Europe of nations. He praised "the alliance of patriotic forces" , convinced that it could overturn the European Parliament and "take back power from the Brussels elites" .

The European far-right scene was represented at the highest level. Matteo Salvini , vice-president of the Italian Council and a leading figure in the League, warned of an "invasion of illegal immigrants, mainly Islamists, financed and organized in the silence of Brussels ," calling on European "patriots" to "work together to take back control of the destiny and future of Europe." Santiago Abascal, leader of Vox in Spain, called for a "return to sovereignty" on migration issues, denouncing the "European migration pact" as an attack on the fundamental rights of states.

The rally also included leaders of the Czech (Andrej Babis), Greek (Afroditi Latinopoulou), Polish (Krzysztof Bosak), Estonian (Martin Helme) and Belgian (Tom Van Grieken) far right. Dutch leader Geert Wilders, who was physically absent, sent a video message, congratulating his counterparts for their determination to "change Europe."

At the same time, left-wing leaders, associations and unions demonstrated in Montargis (Loiret) to oppose the high mass organized by the National Rally, attempting to "build resistance" in the face of political rivals who are "not welcome" . Several thousand people, 4,000 according to the organizers, marched peacefully through the streets of the Loiret town late in the morning.