The PiS delegation within the European Conservatives and Reformists group chose to skip its scheduled meeting in the European Parliament. The reason cited was ongoing discussions about the potential expansion of the ECR to include Fidesz, the party of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, according to Polish and Italian sources inside the Parliament.
Sources in the European Parliament indicate tensions between PiS MEPs and members of Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy. The Polish delegation declined to participate in the ECR Group’s 11th gathering in Brussels, which had been set to include the Group Presidency. The meeting was later rescheduled to 5:30 PM.
One central issue appears to be a disagreement over whether to broaden the group. PiS has long signaled discussions with Fidesz MEPs about their possible entry into the ECR, and backstage discussions in Brussels have also touched on the possibility of Fidesz joining forces with the French National Rally, a party allied with Marine Le Pen, in order to join the group of MEPs.
Orban’s party, which holds ten MEPs, currently sits outside any European Parliament group.
Romanian AUR and Fidesz: A Standoff
A squad of six Romanian MEPs from the right-wing Union for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) is blocking the accession of Hungarians to the ECR. The reluctance runs both ways: Orban, who met Meloni in Rome on Monday, has stated that Fidesz does not intend to join the ECR precisely because of the presence of an anti-Hungarian Romanian faction within the group.
Meanwhile, sources close to the Polish delegation within EKR did not rule out the possibility of pulling out of AUR if it would facilitate Fidesz’s acceptance. Talks are also taking place outside the Parliament, with former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who favors cooperation with Orban, traveling to Brussels.
Nevertheless, an Italian source for PAP stressed that negotiations before an election included an understanding that the faction accepting AUR would not accept Fidesz. Some Italian observers speculate that PiS’s posture may reflect Meloni’s exclusion from key EU discussions.
The Polish delegation believes there could be value in undermining Meloni’s position. It has been described in Brussels as a strategic move to take advantage of her perceived weakening—an assessment relayed by Italian colleagues within the European Parliament.
Regarding Le Pen, there is skepticism that Meloni would permit a party with more seats than her own to join the group, which could diminish the influence of the Italian delegation.
What Is Next for PiS?
Rumors in Brussels about PiS leaving the EKR faction have persisted, but PAP sources close to the Polish delegation deny any plans to depart. There is no immediate plan to exit EKR; negotiations are ongoing, they stress.
Leaving EKR would be costly for PiS, according to a Polish source. The party has helped shape legislation in the current European Parliament and is concerned that joining a new faction would require starting anew. The ECR currently commands 83 seats, ranking it as the third-largest political force in the European Parliament.
The faction’s 11th meeting, originally scheduled, has been moved to 5:30 PM. PAP insiders remain doubtful that a final agreement will be reached today. If talks fail to yield a resolution, discussions are expected to continue in the coming days.