Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, and Lega leader Matteo Salvini are set to have a series of talks in Hungary’s capital of Budapest, with the goal of forming a conservative political alliance.
Speaking to the press in Rome, Salvini stated that the main purpose of the discussions would be to discuss policy issues such as economic growth, health, immigration and education. However, he said they would also talk about forming an international alliance of rightwing groups, and said that he hoped all of Europe’s rightwing parties could form a unified bloc within the European Parliament.
There are currently at least two main centre-right blocs within the European Parliament, and these include the European People’s Party (EPP), and the Eurosceptic European Conservatives and Reformists Party (ECR).
“If I had a wish, it would be that the two groups that are currently divided merge into a single large group that would put back into focus the original values of Europe,” Salvini told reporters.
“It would be the second largest group in the European Parliament,” he added.
The three parties have much in common ideologically, particularly on issues like immigration and social values. From their combined opposition to illegal immigration into Europe, to their strong pro-life and socially conservative stances, they often find overlap in their politics.
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On social issues, the Polish government has banned sex education on the grounds that promoting sex to underage people is inappropriate and should be illegal.
Polish lawmakers vote for bill criminalizing 'promoting underage sex' https://t.co/zt1pDmfQ4D pic.twitter.com/hhprPBW9C8
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 16, 2019
In a similar vein, Hungary has banned gender studies from universities, stating that it is “an ideology – not a science” and referring to it as “gender madness.”
According to Hungary’s Deputy Prime Minister, nobody wants to employ “genderologists,” so he said there is no need to train them.
Hungarian universities will no longer offer gender studies as a discipline.
The subject is described as a part of the civilizational decay threatening Europe.https://t.co/ZKJ0DzqFsF
— DW News (@dwnews) October 18, 2018
Additionally, on Italian children’s ID cards, it includes “gender neutral” expressions, such as “Parent 1” and “Parent 2”. Salvini has campaigned to have these phrases replaced with “Mother” and “Father”.
Italian privacy watchdog blocks Salvini's attempt to put 'mother and father' on kids' ID cards https://t.co/KxwlZbhQjv pic.twitter.com/Su93FHOZzp
— The Local Italy (@TheLocalItaly) November 16, 2018
Moreover, the Polish government has been unrelenting in its support for pro-life policies, implementing one of the most-wide ranging abortion bans in the world, and recently banning abortion for babies with disabilities.
THIS WEEK: "Bravo Poland": Disability activists have warmly welcomed the formal publication of a Polish court ruling which bans abortion on disability grounds.https://t.co/EgGii6cwMx
— gript (@griptmedia) January 31, 2021
Salvini – who is openly Catholic and often speaks of his faith – has opposed abortion, saying that it should not be a “remedy” to an “uncivil lifestyle”.
“Abortion is not a contraceptive system,” he added.
Grazie alla signora che questa mattina mi ha regalato un rosario.
Da ultimo dei peccatori, lo bacio e lo porto con me. pic.twitter.com/YCmI6nEa3R— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) November 19, 2018
Notably, Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party implemented a policy of offering no income tax for life and a free car to any mother who had 4 or more children – the goal being to reverse Hungary’s demographic decline as fertility continues to plummet globally.
Hungary to give women with 4 or more children lifelong tax exemption https://t.co/A4x3qJ5FJA
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) February 11, 2019
Fertility rate: 'Jaw-dropping' global crash in children being born https://t.co/mlpyoRKb5I
— BBC Science News (@BBCScienceNews) July 15, 2020