They are a European party — but they might not uphold European values. After the EU’s political parties watchdog found evidence questioning the Europe of Sovereign Nations’ compliance with the bloc’s founding principles, more than 180 lawmakers have joined calls for Brussels to act.
The Left has launched a cross-party initiative against ESN, gathering support from more than 180 lawmakers from the Greens, Socialists & Democrats (S&D), Renew Europe and several members of the European People’s Party (EPP).
“It is unacceptable that a racist, misogynistic, antisemitic and homophobic European political party continues to receive EU funding. When fundamental rights and democratic principles are violated, those responsible must face sanctions”, said co-chair of The Left Manon Aubry.
The initiative is expected to be discussed on Wednesday by the Conference of Presidents, which brings together Parliament President Roberta Metsola and the chairs of the Parliament’s political groups. Lawmakers could also vote on a resolution on the issue during next week’s plenary session.
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European money for non-European values
The call comes after the June announcement that the Authority for European Political Parties (APPF) found evidence casting doubt on ESN’s compliance with the founding values of the European Union, including the rule of law, human dignity, and minority rights.
In a letter signed by APPF director Pascal Schonard, the authority concluded that there was sufficient evidence to question ESN’s compliance with the Union’s founding values and, for the first time since gaining new powers in 2025, referred the matter to the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission.
Following the watchdog’s findings, The Left urged the Greens and Socialists to join a common initiative against ESN.
“In light of the 300-page report by the competent authority and the numerous indications that the ESN Party has violated European rules and principles, there can be only one consequence: the AfD must have its European funding cut off”, said the co-chair of The Left Martin Schirdewan.
“It is unacceptable that a racist, misogynistic, antisemitic and homophobic European political party continues to receive EU funding.”
— Manon Aubry, co-chair of The Left
A lot is at stake — at least when looking at the party’s coffers. In 2026 alone, ESN is entitled to more than €2 million in EU funding. If it is ultimately found to have committed a serious and persistent breach of the Union’s values, that funding could be suspended.
The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission now have two months to decide whether to trigger the formal verification procedure.
It is the first time since the APPF received expanded investigative powers in 2025 that the authority has asked the EU institutions to assess whether a European political party still meets the Union’s founding values.
Hateful rhetoric and collaboration with Putin
The evidence includes court rulings, screenshots, and social media posts by MEPs and parliamentarians from various parties displaying anti-immigration, anti-Semitic, and anti-LGBT rhetoric, including calls for re-immigration and the portrayal of homosexuality as pedophilia.
German Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) — one of the ESN’s co-founders — is one of the principal focuses of the report. Schonard’s letter highlights the German intelligence agency’s Ma 2025 decision to classify the party as a far-right organization and the ruling of the Cologne Administrative Court that blocked this classification, despite deeming the party’s platform “contrary to human dignity and freedom of religion”.
But AfD is not the only one in the hot seat. The report also singles out Bulgaria’s Revival party, stating that it is openly collaborating with Vladimir Putin’s United Russia. It also alleges that the party played a role in violent protests in Sofia and attacks on the European Commission’s representation in Bulgaria in February 2025.
New powers put to the test
The APPF is responsible for the registration and supervision of European political parties and their foundations. It was launched in 2016, but was granted new powers in 2025, allowing it to investigate — and report — a European party that doesn’t respect European values.
If the procedure ultimately concludes that ESN is in serious and persistent breach of the Union’s values, the party could lose both its EU funding and its registration as a European political party. That would not, however, automatically affect the ESN political group in the European Parliament, which operates under separate rules.
