The European Parliament has voted to launch a scrutiny procedure against the Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) party family, a grouping defined as right-wing to far-right at the European level. The relevant supervisory body will now evaluate potential breaches of EU core values by the ESN party, which also includes the AfD. A majority of 414 MEPs supported the move, 224 opposed it, and 18 abstained. According to the watchdog, this is the first procedure of its kind to address the alignment with EU values.
What is the ESN party?
ESN is the umbrella organization coordinating several national right-wing populist parties at the EU level. It was co-founded in 2024 by the AfD and is headquartered in Berlin. Other members include France’s Reconquête, led by prominent far-right figure Éric Zemmour; Poland’s Nowa Nadzieja (New Hope); and the pro-Russian Bulgarian party Wasraschdane (Bulgarian for Rebirth). The AfD supplies 15 of the 27 ESN Members of the European Parliament.
There are other alliances organized within such umbrella parties at the EU level as well. They operate independently from the political groups in the European Parliament, where the MEPs from these parties sit together in different formations. The parties are registered and monitored by the Authority for European Political Parties and Foundations. They receive EU funding. For the ESN party, the approved funding for 2026 is reportedly up to around two million euros, according to the Parliament.
What signals of violations have been raised against the ESN party?
The supervisory authority sent a letter to EU institutions at the end of May, raising concerns about possible breaches of EU values. It points to a court ruling by the Administrative Court of Cologne concerning the AfD, in which elements of the party program or actions by party representatives were described as incompatible with human dignity and religious freedom.
Additionally, the EU regulator highlights a series of social-media posts by politicians from ESN member parties that target certain groups. The authority stresses that the notice is not a finding or conclusion of breach.
“The European Parliament is issuing a yellow card to the AfD European party,” commented Green/EFA MEP Daniel Freund after the vote. “Millions of taxpayer euros must not continue to fund hate speech, racism, homophobia, and antisemitism by the AfD European party.” Lawmakers from The Left, the Social Democrats, the Liberals, and the Christian Democrats also supported the review. Niclas Herbst, the chair of the CDU/CSU group, noted that opening the procedure does not amount to a pre-judgment.
We welcome todays European Parliament decision requesting @APPF_EU to verify the ESN party’s compliance with Art2 of the Treaty on European Union.
The EU is a community of values. EU political parties must uphold those values. No EU money for those that attack EU values. pic.twitter.com/ZqTdJV6XLRS&D Group (@TheProgressives) July 7, 2026
/ TheProgressives | The Social Democratic Group also welcomed the decision
|
What must European parties observe?
Under EU rules, European parties must ensure that their programs and activities, and those of their members, align with the values on which the European Union is founded. This includes upholding human dignity and human rights, freedom, democracy, equality, and the rule of law.
Could a breach lead to a party ban?
If the supervisory authority finds a clear and grave violation of the EU’s core values, it can strike the party from the EU register. However, removal from the EU party registry would not automatically amount to a ban on the national party; the individual national parties would continue to exist and the umbrella organization could, in some circumstances, persist under national law. It would lose its special status and, most crucially, the eligibility for EU funding.
What does the ESN party say?
The ESN issued a Berlin message in late June reaffirming its commitment to democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. Its president, Bulgarian MEP Stanislav Stoyanov, emphasized that Europe needs a new direction—a Europe of free and sovereign nations where decisions are made as close to citizens as possible. The party will have the chance to respond to the allegations during the watchdog’s review process.
When can a ruling be expected?
Regarding the timeline of the review, the authorities say it is not possible to predict the exact duration. Once the review request is received, the watchdog informs the concerned party and asks for a response. The party will typically have about one month to address any remedial actions. Then a special committee of independent experts has two months to provide a position. Only after that can the watchdog decide on the application for review. An appeal can be filed with the European Parliament and the Council within up to three months.
