The European Parliament is seeing a seismic shift as the center-right European People’s Party (EPP) increasingly allies with far-right groups, signaling a new power bloc dubbed the “Venezuela Majority.” This coalition, initially born from a resolution on Venezuela’s contested leadership, shows the EPP’s growing cooperation with hard-right parties, including those led by Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni. This tilt is raising concerns across the EU, especially among the Socialists and Greens, who warn it threatens the EU’s unity and values.
At the heart of this shift is EPP’s recent alignment with anti-immigration and Euroskeptic votes, moves that echo calls for tighter borders and even the controversial funding of external migrant camps. The EPP’s willingness to engage with these policies has driven a wedge between them and their former centrist allies, as Brussels braces for intense debates on digital, defense, and migration policies with this new right-wing coalition flexing its influence.
EPP’s leader, Manfred Weber, insists the party still upholds EU principles, even as it courts this alliance. However, this pivot aligns with rising nationalist sentiment across Europe, where migration and economic competitiveness now dominate the political agenda. The rise of the “Venezuela Majority” underscores the shifting landscape, reflecting a more assertive right-wing Europe that critics argue could erode key EU tenets of unity and solidarity. As Weber balances these new alliances, Brussels and the EU face an ideological battle that may redefine Europe’s legislative future.
