The European elections have raised concerns about authoritarian regimes gaining more influence in EU decision-making. The Qatargate crisis, involving corruption and espionage allegations against MEPs Maximilian Krah and Petr Bystron, highlights the extent to which Russia and China are attempting to influence political decisions in the EU. Parties with authoritarian tendencies are becoming more enthusiastic supporters of authoritarian states due to potential benefits they receive in return. Examples such as Marine Le Pen’s 2014 EP campaign being financed by Russia show a pattern of foreign interference in the European Parliament.
Authoritarian states are trying to buy influence in the European Parliament by attempting to bribe MEPs to act as Trojan horses for foreign interference. Research shows that mainstream political groups in the European Parliament are generally critical of authoritarian regimes, with parties on the far-right and far-left being less critical. The Identity and Democracy (ID) group, as well as the Left, are particularly supportive of authoritarian states such as Putin’s Russia and Xi’s China. In contrast, parties from Eastern Europe, such as those from Austria, Bulgaria, Czechia, Poland, and Romania, are more critical of Moscow and Beijing in the European Parliament.
Domestic representatives from countries such as Austria, Bulgaria, and Romania tend to be more pragmatic in their approach towards authoritarian regimes. For example, the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) condemns authoritarians in the European Parliament but blocks Kremlin-critical initiatives in their own government. Parties like the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) have maintained friendly ties with the Kremlin and have opposed EU sanctions on Russia. The shift of Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party towards more pro-Russian and pro-Chinese positions after being expelled from the EPP in 2021 is concerning.
After the European elections, extremist parties like the FPÖ may gain more mandates, and new far-right and pro-Kremlin parties could join the European Parliament. This could lead to authoritarian regimes finding stronger allies in the increasingly influential far-right within the EU. The risk of authoritarian states softening the European Parliament’s foreign policy stance is a growing concern, as seen in the increasing influence of parties with authoritarian tendencies. Overall, the potential for foreign interference in EU decision-making is a significant issue that needs to be addressed.
