Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty

History

To form a political group in the European Parliament, there needed to be 20 MEPs from six different states (subsequently increased to 25 MEPs from seven states, for the 2009 session). The accession of Bulgaria and Romania brought into the European Parliament a number of new far-right MEPs, providing sufficient numbers to create a far-right group. Incentives for creating a group are approximately €1 million in public funds and guaranteed seats on the committees of the European Parliament. There were concerns in other parties about public funds and influence going towards a group with such an ideology. Despite attempts to block the group's formation, it was formed on 15 January 2007. However, other MEPs successfully blocked ITS from gaining positions on Parliamentary committees, including two vice-presidencies, despite normally being entitled to them.

The largest component was the French National Front and its chairman in the Parliament, Bruno Gollnisch, was chair of the ITS group. The National Front had previous allied with other far-right groups, beginning in the 1980s. Following the Bulgarian European Parliament elections, the group gained two more Ataka MEPs, Slavcho Binev and Desislav Chukolov.

The PRM announced on 8 November 2007 that it would withdraw its five members from the group on 12 November 2007 over comments made by Alessandra Mussolini over the expulsion of Romanian criminals from Italy in early November 2007, thus dooming the parliamentary group to falter less than a year after its creation. Andreas Mölzer stated in an interview with Die Presse that the group was searching for other MEPs who might join their group to save it. Other MEPs had already welcomed the prospect of the group's demise, with Alyn Smith MEP stating that it "warms the heart" to watch them arguing among themselves. During the previous months, the group had failed to act as a coherent political faction.

It was announced that the group had been dissolved on 14 November 2007 after four of the five PRM members left the group.

Policies

The group's founding charter has been described as "broadly anti-immigration, anti-EU constitution and anti-Turkish EU membership," while participants emphasised that the group would function relatively loosely. Alessandra Mussolini described it as "more a technical than a political group [...] We are mainly getting together out of necessity. Survival is only possible in a political group."

The Romanian PRM leader stated that he favoured a strong association and eventual EU membership for Turkey provided it settles the dispute regarding Cyprus and that the common ground for the new group is based exactly on the values the group's name suggests.

Members

The membership of ITS while it existed between January and November 2007:

References

References

1. Nordsieck, Wolfram. (2007). "European Union".
2. (15 November 2007). "Demise of the Euro-Racists: Xenophobia Scuppers EU Far-Right Group". Der Spiegel.
3. (23 January 2007). "Far-Right MPs Join Forces in EU Parliament: A Small Thorn in The EU's Side". Der Spiegel.
4. (16 January 2007). "Far Right – DW – 01/16/2007". dw.com.
5. (10 January 2007). "Far-right MEPs announce alliance". BBC News.
6. Duncan Watts. (2008). "The European Union". Edinburgh University Press.
7. Senem Aydin-Düzgit. (2012). "Constructions of European Identity: Debates and Discourses on Turkey and the EU". Palgrave Macmillan.
8. Mahony, Honor. (9 January 2007). "Far-right group formed in European Parliament". EUobserver.
9. (9 January 2007). "Rechtsaußenbündnis im Europaparlament entsteht". [[Der Standard]].
10. [https://www.dw.com/en/european-parliaments-far-right-bloc-collapses/a-2913923-1 European Parliament's Far-Right Bloc Collapses], [[Deutsche Welle]], 15 November 2007
11. [http://euobserver.com/9/25148 MEPs welcome fall of far-right group] EU Observer
12. "End of the Identity , Tradition and Sovereignty political group as Romanian MEPs leave".
13. [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/elections/article6455650.ece Times OnLine]{{dead link. (September 2024)
14. Brunwasser, Matthew. (14 January 2007). "Bulgaria and Romania bolster far right profile in EU Parliament". International Herald Tribune.
15. (2 February 2007). "Far-Right Wing Group Sidelined in European Parliament". [[Deutsche Welle]].
16. "theparliament.com - Far-right group in EU parliament collapses".
17. (8 November 2007). ""Rechtsaußen-Fraktion" nach Mussolini-Ausbruch vor Ende «". Diepresse.com.
18. (9 November 2007). "EU far-right bloc faces collapse". BBC News.
19. Mahony, Honor. (8 November 2007). "Far-right European parliament group on verge of collapse". EU Observer.
20. "theparliament.com - MEPs cheer collapse of far-right ITS group".
21. Mahony, Honor. (8 January 2007). "Plans for European far-right group intensify". EUobserver.
22. Romanian ''OTV'' channel, 10 January 2007