European Party to Defend Against Islam

January 26, 2008

Author: Staff Writer

Source: National Post

Wire Service: Reuters

http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=265215

The heads of leading far-right parties unveiled a plan for a new European "patriotic" party yesterday to defend the continent against Islam, immigrants and the impact of globalization. Heinz-Christian Strache, head of Austria's Freedom Party, said the group, whose backers include French National Front leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, would fight for a "federal Europe of fatherlands" and against centralized control from Brussels. The leaders of Belgium's right-wing Vlaams Belang group and Bulgaria's Ataka are also supporters of the new party, which is expected to be launched by Nov. 15. The drive for a new right-wing group follows the short-lived emergence last year of a far-right bloc in the European parliament, Identity, Tradition & Sovereignty.