"Movement Unstoppable": Kickl Issues Battle Cry at Patriots' Meeting

"Make Europe Great Again" - hardly any slogan was used more frequently on Saturday at the first summit meeting of the European far-right faction "Patriots for Europe" (PfE) in Madrid than this variation of Donald Trump's campaign motto. The US President was not present in Madrid, but he was omnipresent and on everyone's lips. "Make Europe great again," declared FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl in a video message. "Our movement is unstoppable," he emphasized.

Kickl: "Moment for Patriots Has Come"

Kickl described the Madrid meeting as an "alliance of reason," which will serve as a foundation for future cooperation and friendships in Europe. The "Patriots" summit had set two clear goals: In Madrid, they wanted to develop common strategies to break the dominance of conservative people's parties and social democrats in the EU Parliament. Above all, it was about strengthening the unity of right-wing parties from twelve EU countries, which had only come together in July last year after the EU elections to form the third strongest faction in the European Parliament.

The "Patriots for Europe" feel that their moment has come. Several surveys show that far-right parties are currently highly popular among young voters across Europe, with voting intentions of 30 percent. This was also clearly demonstrated by the recent election results in Austria, according to Herbert Kickl: "The citizens of our country want change, a policy that solely identifies with and is oriented towards the interests of its own people. And that is exactly what we stand for." This change is not only being experienced in Austria. All over Europe, people are rising against the paternalism of EU centralists and left-wing ideologues, said the FPÖ party leader.

Europe with Traditions, Identity, and Sovereignty as the Goal

"2025 will be a decisive year for all patriots in Europe. Our movement is unstoppable. Together we will pave the way for a Europe of free fatherlands. A Europe built on tradition, identity, and sovereignty. Let us pull together and realize our common goal," said Kickl to the summit participants, including Marine Le Pen from the French Rassemblement National, Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini from the Lega, and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban from Fidesz.

All party leaders mentioned in their speeches in the auditorium of a Madrid hotel, filled with 2,000 people, Donald Trump and the impetus the US President has given to nationalist movements. Trump has triggered a political earthquake with his "America First" policy, "even if we do not agree with everything he says and does," clarified the Dutch right-wing populist Geert Wilders.

Orbán Speaks of "Reconquest of Europe"

Above all, Trump shows the path that Europe's patriots must take, said Italy's Salvini: securing borders, fighting illegal immigration, against globalization, against "climate fanaticism." It is about nothing less than the return to common sense and the defense of the Christian West and the traditional values of Europe, the Europe of Christian values with traditional family structures with a father and a mother, said the Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán.

The "corrupt" Brussels has opened the gates for illegal migrants. His friend Donald Trump has ensured that "patriots" are no longer despised but are mainstream and the future - also in Europe. Once, Spain's Christian kings liberated their country from Islamic occupiers. Now a new "Reconquista" is starting in Madrid, a new "reconquest of Europe," said Orbán.

(By Manuel Meyer/APA)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.