Alternative for Germany (AfD) has expressed interest in joining a new hard-right grouping “Patriots for Europe” launched by Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, with Austrian and Czech nationalists in Vienna.
The German party was kicked out of Marine Le Pen’s “Identity and Democracy” (ID) bloc in the European Parliament after Maximilian Krah, the AfD’s lead candidate, defended the Nazi SS during European elections in June.
Speaking at her party’s conference in Essen, Alice Weidel, 45, the AfD’s joint leader ruled out any rapprochement with Le Pen and expressed interest in Orban’s new bloc, which includes her close ally Austria’s hardline nationalist Freedom Party (FPO).
“The new alliance offers new opportunities for cooperation,” said a spokesman for Weidel.
Orban, 61, said the new grouping would