Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and France’s Marine Le Pen took centre stage at a Madrid rally on Saturday, organised by Europe’s most prominent far-right alliance. Encouraged by Donald Trump’s political resurgence, they urged a ‘180-degree pivot’.
Patriots for Europe, a coalition of far-right forces within the European Union, has grown significantly since Orban helped establish it last year. It now holds the position of the third-largest group in the European Parliament, working to shift the EU towards the far-right.
‘Yesterday we were the heretics. Today we are the mainstream … We are the future,’ said Orban, standing alongside other key nationalist figures such as Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, and former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis.
Both Orban and Le Pen celebrated Trump’s ‘tornado’ political momentum, describing it as a guiding force for Europe. In a joint statement, their parties criticised the EU for its approach to ‘climate fanaticism’, ‘illegal immigration’, and ‘excessive regulation’.
‘We’re facing a truly global tipping point. Hurricane Trump is sweeping across the United States,’ Le Pen stated. ‘Meanwhile, the European Union appears to be in a state of shock.’
The event’s host, Spain’s far-right Vox party, estimated that approximately 2,000 people attended the gathering. It followed a private dinner on Friday, attended by leaders of the Patriots alliance and Kevin Roberts, the head of the US ultra-conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation.
The rally, held in the Spanish capital, adopted the slogan ‘Make Europe Great Again’, echoing Trump’s well-known campaign mantra, ‘Make America Great Again’, often referred to simply as ‘Maga’.
Orban is widely regarded as one of Trump’s closest allies within the EU, while Vox leader Santiago Abascal has emphasised his party’s ideological alignment with Trump, particularly on immigration policies.
‘President Trump is, to us, a brother in arms,’ said Wilders, who advocated for a ‘reconquista’ of Europe, referencing the historical campaigns by Spanish Christian monarchs to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule between the 8th and 15th centuries.
However, Trump’s potential policies – ranging from imposing steep tariffs on European goods to his past suggestion of acquiriing Greenland from Denmark – could pose challenges for European nationalist movements.
‘Liking Donald Trump’s patriotism does not mean being the vassal of the United States,’ said Jordan Bardella, leader of France’s National Rally (NR), last month.
The NR, with Le Pen as its figurehead, currently leads the Patriots alliance in the European Parliament.
Following last year’s European Parliament elections, where far-right parties made notable gains in multiple countries. The Patriots securing 86 of the parliament’s 720 seats, surpassing the European Conservatives and Reformists group, which is led by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s neo-fascist Brothers of Italy party, which won 80 seats.
Additionally, the Patriots outperformed the Europe of Sovereign Nations group, which includes Germany’s rising AfD party and secured 26 seats.
Neither Meloni nor AfD representatives were present at Saturday’s rally.
Ha sido un honor recibir en Madrid a los líderes que son el presente y el futuro de Europa.
— Santiago Abascal 🇪🇸 (@Santi_ABASCAL) February 8, 2025
Y ha sido una alegría comprobar que estamos unidos, respetando nuestras diferencias, y con la vista puesta en un objetivo común:
Hacer a Europa grande otra vez respetando la soberanía… pic.twitter.com/7BxxyLpxKf
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