07/04/2026
Is the centre-right European People’s Party further normalising cooperation with the far right?
Recent reporting by Euractiv and Deutsche Presse-Agentur has reignited this familiar – and deeply troubling question on who governs a parliamentary majority in Europe. At the centre of the controversy is EPP leader Manfred Weber, who has denied knowledge of alleged coordination between his group’s staff and far-right parties via WhatsApp exchanges ahead of a key vote on EU migration rules. Yet Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz has been unusually direct, stating that Weber “bears responsibility” for what he described as “apparent events at staff level.”
This outcome was largely predictable, as Prof. Alemanno wrote in The Guardian after the 2024 elections.
As documented by The Good Lobby’s EU Far-Right Tracker, controversy around the migration vote is not an isolated incident. It is part of a broader and increasingly visible pattern: the emergence of a structural political shift in the European Parliament. In March 2026 alone, the EPP voted three times alongside far-right groups – bringing the total to 19 such votes since 2024. This is no longer about individual files – it reflects a structural shift in how majorities are built.
A structural shift in parliamentary majorities
For decades, mainstream European parties upheld a cordon sanitaire – a political firewall excluding far-right actors from influence. Despite repeated assurances – including from Commission President Ursula von der Leyen – that cooperation with the far right would not shape EU policymaking, the reality inside the European Parliament has been evolving in the opposite direction. What we are witnessing is the gradual normalisation of a “tactical alliance of convenience”, one that delivers short-term legislative wins, but carries long-term democratic risks.
Calls for clarification over the migration vote are justified. Who knew about the coordination? Was it authorised? Will there be consequences? But focusing solely on the latest controversy risks missing the bigger picture. The question is no longer whether cooperation with the far right is happening. The evidence shows that it is – repeatedly. The real question is whether European leaders are willing to acknowledge and confront this shift.
March 2026: three votes, one pattern
In March alone, at least three key votes in the European Parliament confirmed a growing alignment between the EPP and far-right groups.
- Migration and deportation rules (LIBE Committee, 9 March)
The most high-profile case concerns the EU’s proposed Returns Regulation. In the Parliament’s civil liberties committee, EPP-backed amendments – including provisions enabling so-called “return hubs” in third countries – passed with support from right-wing and far-right groups. Civil society organisations have warned that the proposal risks undermining fundamental rights, expanding detention, and externalising migration control in ways incompatible with international law. The vote followed rushed negotiations and, crucially, relied on support from parties such as Alternative for Germany and other far-right actors. - Fundamental Rights report blocked (AFCO Committee, 18 March)
Just days later, the EPP again voted alongside the far right – this time to reject a report on the implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Despite cross-party negotiations and compromises, the report was struck down in committee. According to the Socialists and Democrats, this marked a “new low”: the European Parliament failing to reaffirm the binding nature of one of its core constitutional texts. The political signal is hard to ignore. A pro-European consensus on fundamental rights – once taken for granted – is no longer holding. - Digital rules and AI (Digital Omnibus package, LIBE/IMCO, 18 March)
A third, less visible but equally telling vote came on the simplification of EU digital rules, including the Artificial Intelligence Act. While framed as a technical adjustment, the outcome again relied on a coalition extending beyond the traditional centrist majority, with the EPP securing support from actors to its right.
Taken together, these votes confirm a consistent governing strategy: when the numbers are tight, the EPP turns rightwards.