Ó Ríordáin calls on Fine Gael to clarify potential far-right co-operation

Labour TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has called on Fine Gael to clarify its position on collaborating with the far-right in Europe.

Ó Ríordáin, who is on the ballot for the upcoming European elections, has questioned why Fine Gael have not dismissed working with the far-right on a European level.

Fine Gael sit in the European People’s Party group in the European Parliament, with the EPP projected to be the biggest party after June’s elections.

In recent weeks, the EPP has decidedly tacked to the right in a bid to see off the far-right, and has not ruled out working with far-right groupings over the course of the next European parliament.

The EPP attempted to water down the Nature Restoration Law in what was widely seen as a bid to attract right-wing support.

The recent Migration Pact was also widely seen by analysts as a bid by the EPP to attract supporters on the right.

European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen has engaged with the ECR, home of the likes of Spain’s Vox and Poland’s Law and Justice party, to secure their votes for a second term.

At present, the EPP are in an informal coalition with the Socialists and Democrats grouping (home of Labour’s sister parties on the continent) and Renew Europe (home to Fianna Fáil’s European equivalents).

Ó Ríordáin noted that EPP parties are in coalition with the far-right in the likes of Italy, Sweden and the Netherlands, and has questioned why Fine Gael’s candidates have not made any statements about working with them at European level.

He said the EPP is “courting reactionary groups at European level too.”

Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, regarded as the most right-wing leader to lead Italy since the Second World War, has been vocal in her wishes to form an alliance between the ECR and the EPP after the next election.

Ó Ríordáin said that the Socialists & Democrats Group has promised not to cooperate with any far-right parties, and stated the grouping will instead “defend the European Union from reactionary politics.”

“It spurred me to run in these elections – to defend Dublin at the highest level from the kind of politics we saw in the riots last year.”

In early May, the Socialists and Democrats Group, Renew, the European Greens and the Left (Sinn Féin’s European grouping) all signed an agreement that ruled out co-operation with far-right parties.

Ó Ríordáin said “Fine Gael needs to be clear about what the party stands for, and voters deserve to know. Fine Gael representatives have sought out liberal votes when it suited them politically, but it’s hard to ignore their recent change in tone, just at the time when their European political group is courting groups further to the right.”

“I’m calling on Fine Gael and all candidates in these European elections to state their position on whether they will form alliances with reactionary groups like the ECR and Identity & Democracy. And I want to ask voters to choose candidates who will deliver for democratic values, for climate action and for working people.”

Green MEP Ciáran Cuffe has also criticised Fine Gael for not pressuring the EPP to sign the agreement.

Cuffe said “it is worrying that Fine Gael’s political grouping in Europe declined to sign this statement that rejects violence and endorses democracy. As some of their member parties strike deals with the far-right, it is important that EPP members show their commitment to defending democracy and rejecting violence.”