INSURGENT PARTIES AND THEIR VIEWS OF EUROPE

Source: EFCR (June 2016)

Edited

1. Austria: The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ): The FPÖ sees a lack of solidarity and unity between EU Member States as the main cause of the refugee crisis and the eurozone crisis, which in turn are considered to be the biggest problems facing Europe. It terms the EU–Turkey deal as a disaster, because it is against any alignment of the EU with Turkey. It considers the big difference in the standard of living between Europe and the rest of the world as a key cause of both the refugee crisis and radical Islam, believing that young people become radicalised when their vision of a better lifestyle is not achieved. The FPÖ feels that living standards for citizens of Austria should be protected, and that immigrants who are unwilling to integrate in Austria under the present conditions should be forced to leave the country. The FPÖ is worried  that Brexit might lead to a disintegration of the EU, but thinks the debate might have a positive effect if direct democracy is used as a tool for EU integration. Issues like enlargement, treaty changes, and new treaties should be voted on in EU Member States. It argues that another positive outcome of Brexit could be that there is a step back from supra-nationalism and a step towards more intergovernmental policies. In the opinion of the FPÖ, there should be a two-tier euro currency – a strong northern euro and a weaker southern euro, with the possibility to depreciate the currency if necessary.
2. Belgium: The Vlaams Blok (VB) : The VB sees the refugee crisis, terrorism, and Islam as the biggest threats facing Europe. The party links these problems to multiculturalism, which it has compared to a disease weakening the body of the EU. It also sees the eurozone crisis as a big issue, since it reveals two weaknesses of the EU: that its institutions are not democratic and that the common euro currency is a failure. The party saw the Brexit referendum as the “Copernican revolution” the EU needs, and hopes that it will lead to the disintegration of the EU.
3. Bulgaria: Ataka, Patriotic National Front: Both parties are Eurosceptic, but Ataka is more openly anti-EU. The party is strongly against the EU’s immigration policy, as it sees a direct correlation between the number of incoming migrants and terrorist attacks in Europe, and wants to remove all “illegal migrants” hailing from North Africa and the Middle East. Ataka was hoping for Brexit because it might speed up the dissolution of the EU, and is pursuing a Bulgarian exit from the EU. The Patriotic Front has similar views on immigration, but is slightly more moderate. The party sees Brexit as a bigger threat to the EU than the eurozone crisis or the Ukraine crisis, and thinks it might trigger the disintegration of the EU.
4. Croatia: The MOST party (the Bridge of Independent Lists), Human Shield: MOST sees the refugee crisis as linked to terrorism and therefore considers it to be the biggest threat to Europe. It thinks that stronger common European responses should be developed. The party has been cautiously supportive of the EU– Turkey refugee deal, and is hopeful for the future of Europe. It believes Brexit will help EU countries to consolidate and rediscover their faith in the EU. Human Shield has quite the opposite view, and sees the EU as a totalitarian entity and the biggest threat to its Member States, as it limits their sovereignty. It hopes that Brexit will cause the disintegration of the EU, and advocates Croatia’s withdrawal as well.
5. Cyprus: AKEL: (Socialist Progressive Party of Working People ): AKEL was originally against Cyprus joining the EU. It does not share the view of many that the EU is crumbling, and does not see the refugee crisis, terrorism, Brexit, the Ukraine crisis, or the eurozone crisis as threats. The party feels strongly that the EU should be guided in its actions by adherence to international law, and is very much against the EU–Turkey deal and the other actions of the EU regarding the refugee crisis on account of them being in contravention of it. According to AKEL, the crisis has worsened dramatically as a result of the repressive and inhumane immigration policy implemented by the EU, the logic of military and police repression of the refugee flows by Frontex, NATO, and EUNAVFOR Med, the Dublin II Regulation which imprisons refugees in specific countries, the closing of the so-called Balkan corridor, and the refusal of EU Member States to participate in refugee hosting plan.
6. Czech Republic: Dawn National Coalition , Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM  and The Party of Free Citizens: All three parties think Brexit might cause the disintegration of the EU, and have initiated or supported proposals for a referendum on Czech membership of the EU. According to Dawn, Brexit has been triggered by the centralisation of the EU. The EU institutions let the eurozone crisis happen because they were focused on banal regulatory issues concerning bananas and coffee machines instead of real problems. All three parties oppose the deal with Turkey. Dawn believes Turkey has been blackmailing the EU and has the means to destroy the EU singlehandedly. The Party of Free Citizens thinks the deal will simply not work and is legally questionable. KSČM sees Turkey as a dictatorship that should not be allowed to have a visa-free regime. Dawn is the most outspoken on migration, seeing Islam as a threat to the future of Europe and its culture, tradition, and values.
7. Denmark: The Danish People’s Party (DPP): According to the DPP, radical Islam is the main threat to Denmark and Europe. The Ukraine crisis and the eurozone crisis are not seen as existential threats but problems that can be solved with diplomacy. The party is very much opposed to the EU–Turkey refugee deal, and is worried that the EU will allow an Islamic state into the Union. The DPP also blames the German “refugees welcome” policy for the current refugee crisis in Europe, and is critical of Greece’s handling of the situation at the borders, as well as the lack of support from Brussels. The DPP sees the UK Brexit as an “hour of destiny” for the EU, and wants to use the opportunity to negotiate a new kind of partnership with the EU. It expects Britain to negotiate a new kind of hybrid partnership with the EU, somewhere between full membership and the European Economic Area – a model that might also be suitable for Denmark. The party is willing to call for a referendum on this matter.
8. Estonia: The Conservative People’s Party of Estonia (CPP), The Party of People’s Unity (PPU): The CPP thinks there is a growing tendency in Europe towards thinking in terms of national needs and interests instead of forced European solidarity. Debates in Estonia over the rationality of EU membership will grow, and for the CPP disintegration is inevitable unless radical reforms are undertaken. The PPU thinks Europe needs to address this trend and move instead towards intergovernmentalism if it wants to survive. Both parties think a debate is needed on Estonia’s membership of the EU, but don’t foresee an Estonian exit under the current coalition. They do support referenda on a number of items in the European decision-making process. On the refugee crisis, both parties blame Germany and Greece for the fact that instability in the Middle East has become a European problem
9. Finland: The Finns Party (FPP): As a governing party, the FPP has had to compromise on its views about EU cooperation, for example by subscribing to strengthening the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy and defining the EU as a “political choice that connects Finland to the Western community of values” – something they had been in opposition to. The party previously supported the idea of organising a referendum on Finnish EU membership, but most party members have now tabled this idea since a clear majority of Finns are not interested. Part of the party has constantly highlighted the possible negative consequences of immigration and multiculturalism, and the refugee crisis is seen as a threat to the viability of the Nordic welfare model. The party sees the ever-deepening, all encompassing integration process of the EU as a threat to its unity, as Member States are looking for alternatives.
10. France: Front National (FN), French Communist Party: The FN views the refugee crisis (to which it closely links the threat of terrorism and the growing influence of Islam) as “a security emergency” for Europe, arguing that it threatens the fundamental values on which European civilisation has been built. The FN blames US and EU strategy in the Middle East, as well as Germany’s “refugees welcome” policy, for the present situation. The FN continues to promote the complete reconstruction of the European project and a return to total national sovereignty. It hopes Brexit will trigger the use of more referenda Europe-wide, and wants to have a referendum on taking France out of the eurozone. The French Communist Party criticises socio-economic policies decided at the European level and prompted by Germany, but not the European project itself. It is opposed to the idea of Brexit, but is interested in renegotiations to work towards more ambitious social rights for all EU countries.
11. Germany: Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), Alliance for Progress and Renewal (ALFA), Die Linke: The AfD sees the refugee crisis and related integration problems as the biggest threat facing Europe, but thinks the eurozone crisis could easily top the list again, as the EU’s solutions are not sustainable. The party sees Brexit as a big threat for Europe, but hopes it can have some positive effects in terms of European reforms and a more widespread use of referenda in Europe.  ALFA’s general view on the EU is that it should no longer be an organisation based on supranational decisionmaking and instead be a loose federation of states. Die Linke sees the refugee crisis and the eurozone crisis as the biggest threats to the EU, and blames a lack of solidarity between Member States for the current crisis. The party thinks referenda should be used for decision making in the EU more often, and some members feel that Brexit might make the development of a stronger European core more likely
12. Greece: Syrisa, Independent Greeks, Golden Dawn: Syriza and the Independent Greeks: The parties see the refugee crisis and the eurozone crisis as the biggest threats to the EU. The parties believe that the current policy of austerity is not appropriate for steering the EU out of the crisis. They also consider the stance of some EU countries on the refugee crisis (such as Austria and Hungary) as counter-productive and express their concern that the future of Europe might be jeopardised should principles of humanity and free movement of persons not be respected. The right-wing Independent Greeks would in theory be negatively predisposed vis-à-vis migrants and refugees in Greece, but in practice they cooperate with Syriza to ensure governmental unity. Regarding Brexit, the two governing parties hope that the Brexit debate will give them some more flexibility with their creditors, since the EU would not be prepared for a new Greek crisis during a period of concern about Britain’s position in the EU. However, they are also concerned that a Grexit could follow, especially if the country does not meet its fiscal targets. From the perspective of Golden Dawn, the eurozone crisis, the refugee crisis, and radical Islam and terrorism are the top threats. The party advocates for Greece to stop paying its creditors, and condemns “illegal immigrants” that come to the country.
13. Hungary: Fidesz (Hungarian Civic Alliance), Jobbik (Movement for a Better Hungary): Fidesz sees the refugee crisis as the biggest threat to Europe, as it has shown that the EU is not capable of protecting itself. The governing party generally sees the incoming people as (economic) migrants who could undermine the European way of life, rather than as refugees. Brexit worries the government because of the impact it will have on the EU as a whole, and also because it raises questions about what will happen to the more than 56,000 Hungarians living and working in the UK. The crisis of the eurozone enforces the generally negative opinion the government holds about the capacity of the EU to recover from the economic crisis. Fidesz is supportive of the refugee deal with Turkey. Jobbik used to be strongly against Hungary’s EU membership, but it has toned down this rhetoric and no longer calls directly for a Hungarian exit from the EU. However, it would like the opportunity to renegotiate membership and hold a referendum on the subject. The party supports cooperation with Turkey on the refugee crisis but sees the Turkey deal as a complete failure.
14. Ireland: Sinn Féin (SF) : SF is in an interesting position – it is an anti-EU party that campaigned against Brexit. It opposed Britain leaving the EU due to the potential economic, political, and social impact it would have on Ireland, and saw the referendum as undemocratic because of the British electoral system. At the same time, the party has firm ideas about how Europe must be changed and reformed, in particular with respect to what it considers the “declining importance of social Europe”. SF has been critical of the Irish and European commitments in the refugee crisis, arguing that resettlement of Syrian refugees needs to be sped up. It is also opposed to the EU–Turkey refugee deal because of Turkey’s poor human rights record.
15. Italy: Lega Nord, Five Star Movement: Both parties share the opinion that the “EU super-state” and the Italian government, seen as excessively accommodating towards the EU, are equally to blame for Italy’s existing political and economic difficulties. They both aim to take Italy out of the eurozone, although this issue has fallen down the agenda since a referendum on the matter was rejected by the Senate. The Five Star Movement has criticised the EU’s austerity policies and its financial rules, and wants the eurozone to be more democratic. It has also denounced what it perceives as a lack of democratic legitimacy of the EU institutions and their intrusion in the political decision-making of EU Member States. Lega Nord blames migration and Italy’s struggle to deal with it on EU-related policies and obligations. It sees the “refugees welcome” policy as a threat to Europe because of the risk of terrorism that they believe it poses. Both parties are also strongly against the EU–Turkey refugee deal.
16. Latvia: The National Alliance, Social Democratic Party “Harmony”:  The National Alliance sees the refugee crisis as one of the biggest threats facing the EU, and strongly opposes the introduction of mandatory quotas for the relocation of refugees, which is now also the government position. However, the party does support the EU–Turkey refugee deal, seeing it as a positive development, but would still prefer for all refugees to be sent back. The National Alliance was strongly against Brexit because it endangers the position of Latvian migrants in the UK, and thinks it would cause a disintegration of the EU and trigger wider use of referenda in the EU. Harmony sees the eurozone crisis as the only considerable threat facing the EU at the moment. It is supportive of the Brexit debate, viewing it as an opportunity for the EU to address questions on its future development.
17. Lithuania: The Labour Party, The Order and Justice Party: The Labour Party is sure that Brexit will lead to the disintegration of the EU. Britain leaving the EU will serve as a bad example to other EU members. The party is also worried about terrorism, the refugee crisis, and the eurozone crisis as threats to the EU. It blames the latter on more recent newcomers to the eurozone ignoring its requirements. The Order and Justice Party also sees only negative consequences following Brexit: disintegration of the EU and a recession for all countries including Britain. The party is strongly opposed to the EU–Turkey refugee deal, and sees Australian-style control of the EU’s outer borders as the only solution to the refugee crisis, as well as a stop to the illegal movement of migrants within Europe.
18. Malta: Imperium Europa : Imperium Europa sees the EU as a mercantile organisation that imposes economic threats on countries that do not fulfil their obligations. It is strongly opposed to the idea of imposing fines on countries that do not cooperate on the burden-sharing plans for the refugee crisis, and also rejects the EU–Turkey refugee deal. The party thinks that Brexit will trigger the disintegration of the EU, because other countries will notice that Britain will fare better outside the EU when it can make its own laws. Instead of the current EU, built on pillars of finance and economy, it wants a cultural EU.
19. Netherlands: The Party of Freedom: The PVV’s agenda is consistently and explicitly anti-euro and anti-EU. The party supports Brexit and hopes that Britain leaving the EU will help the Netherlands follow suit, eventually causing the disintegration of the EU. The party sees terrorism, radical Islam, and the refugee crisis as some of the biggest threats for the EU, and thinks they are aggregated by EU policies. It sees the inflow of refugees as a threat to national identity and the welfare state, thinks Schengen is dead, and wants to reintroduce national borders. After the EU–Turkey refugee deal, Wilders accused Dutch and German governments of letting the Turkish government decide their policies. The party considers the deal a sell-out and is very negative towards Turkey and its current leadership
20. Poland: Law and Justice Party Law (PiS), Kukiz: PiS is sceptical about further integration with and of the EU, and would prefer an EU that manifests as a very loose alliance of nation states. It is also outspoken in its negative approach towards Polish membership of the eurozone. It sees the refugee crisis and Brexit as the biggest threats to Europe, partly blaming the former on Germany’s open policy towards refugees. However, the party has a relatively positive view on the EU–Turkey refugee deal, accepting it as the lesser of two evils. Kukiz sees the United Kingdom as an important partner in the EU, and thinks Brexit could lead to serious questions being raised about Poland’s membership of the EU. The party understands the rise in migration towards the EU as the result of Angela Merkel’s invitation, and because they seek social benefits and jobs. It is currently collecting signatures for a referendum against the EU relocation programme.
21. Portugal: The Left Bloc: The Left Bloc has been very critical of the EU, denouncing its neoliberal policies for only promoting inequality and privileges. It views the refugee crisis and the Brexit as major existential threats to the EU, but sees the EU as being on a path to disintegration regardless. It is very critical of the EU–Turkey refugee deal, viewing it not as a solution to the refugee problem, but instead as a means for Europe to clear its conscience of the problem.
22. Romania: The National Democratic Party (PND): The PND is greatly influenced by the general trend in Romania to adopt and promote anything European. The party sees the refugee crisis and terrorism as the biggest threats to the EU, and supports a European approach to the crisis. The PND supports Romania’s decisions to take in a set number of migrants, taking into account national capacities, and means to integrate foreign citizens into Romanian society. It sees the EU–Turkey refugee deal as positive because of the chance to improve the refugee crisis and stabilise the EU. It strongly supports the accession of Romania to the Schengen Area, and hopes this accession would help the country play a more active part in the refugee crisis. It sometimes feels that the EU treats Romania as an outsider and a border country, despite the sacrifices the country made to join the EU
23. Slovakia: SMER-SD, The Slovak National Party (SNS), Freedom and Solidarity: For the government parties (SMER-SD and SNS), the refugee crisis, and what they see as the inextricably linked terrorist threat, supersede all other threats to the EU, although other issues – the eurozone crisis and the Ukraine crisis – also preoccupy them somewhat. These parties are also deeply concerned about EU policies that respond to the refugee crisis, and in particular the relocation scheme, which is viewed as being taken forward “against the will of Member States”. They are sceptical about key aspects of the EU–Turkey refugee deal, including visa liberalisation, terming them blackmail. Freedom and Solidarity agrees that the refugee crisis poses a threat, but is also strongly concerned about the potential of Brexit contributing to the disintegration of the EU.
24. Slovenia: The United Left (ZL), Slovenian People’s Party (SLS): Both parties favour EU reform in order to achieve more equal representation in decision making – the ZL in particular calls for fairer governance of the EU, particularly related to monetary and economic matters. In the context of the refugee crisis, the ZL believes that Greece should be given more support for having borne the brunt of arrivals. Regarding the effectiveness of the EU–Turkey deal in reducing flows of refugees, they believe the jury is still out, but are sceptical that ultimately the two sides have common-enough interests to work together effectively. Both parties feel that Brexit could contribute to greater consolidation of the EU, rather than create a domino effect.
25. Spain: Podemos: Podemos sees the refugee crisis and the eurozone crisis as the main threats to the EU. It has strongly criticised the inaction of the Spanish government in hosting refugees, and is creating local networks to support the reception of asylum seekers. It is worried about a loss of sovereignty for Member States, especially on financial matters, and shares close ties with Syriza on this issue. It is critical of intra-EU financial support packages with reform strings attached. It is strongly opposed to the EU–Turkey refugee deal because of human rights considerations. Podemos opposes Brexit, but is also against the EU–UK renegotiation deal and other special arrangements for the UK, fearing that this hampers the construction of a more social Europe.
26. Sweden: Sweden Democrats: The Sweden Democrats are critical of the EU and are highly sceptical of what they perceive as supra-national decisionmaking within the Union. They aspire to using the UK referendum to trigger a similar debate in Sweden on EU membership. They oppose further enlargement, in particular Turkish accession, but they also feel it is too soon to be discussing Ukraine’s accession, arguing that more work needs to be done on issues such as the economy, organised crime, and border control. They oppose Swedish euro membership, and they want a new Schengen arrangement that grants Member States greater control of their national borders. The Sweden Democrats are keen to prevent further illegal sea crossings to the EU via the Mediterranean but do not see the EU–Turkey refugee deal as the solution. In their view, it only increases Turkey’s influence over EU members and pushes refugee flows elsewhere. The party also fears that the European Commission will turn a blind eye to the conditions that Turkey is supposed to fulfil for gaining visa liberalisation. The Sweden Democrats advocate providing increased support to Syria to manage refugee flows and are in favour of resettling a limited number of the most vulnerable refugees. They have zero tolerance for irregular migration.
27. UK : UKIP : UKIP achieved its aim of securing a majority vote for a British exit from the EU.