Novinky.cz | MEPs of the Patriots for Europe faction face isolation

MEPs from the Patriots for Europe faction, including representatives of the ANO movement, face isolation in the European Parliament. They are unlikely to secure key positions, significantly limiting their influence on the legislative process. Other factions are attempting to isolate far-right parties through a so-called cordon sanitaire, a measure already felt by Klára Dostálová, who was not elected Vice-President of the EP. Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of the EUROPEUM Institute, commented on the situation for Novinky.cz.

In domestic politics, the cordon sanitaire began to be implemented in the 1980s in Belgium. It was used to isolate the far-right, specifically the Vlaams Blok. Its successor, Vlaams Belang, is now part of the Patriots. The cordon sanitaire has a relatively long tradition in the European Parliament. The election of the Parliament's Vice-Presidents demonstrated that it will be effective, and it is very likely to be applied when filling important committee positions as well.

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Viktor Daněk
Deputy Director

Before entering the NGO sphere, Viktor Daněk worked for almost ten years as a journalist. During his time with the public service Czech radio, he focused mainly on covering EU affairs. He spent almost five years as a permanent correspondent in Brussels, where he cooperated with other media outlets. Before his career in journalism, he gained experience in the area of marketing and communication in the Česká spořitelna banking group and at the Czech Technical University in Prague. He holds university degrees in Media Studies and International Relations. Viktor Daněk joined the EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy in October 2023. He continues to be active in the media as a freelancer. His main areas of interest are institutional questions of European integration, globalisation and the EU’s climate and migration policy.