Is the Czech Republic a constructive and contributing member of the European Union, or still lost in Europe after prolonged Soviet occupation and Communist rule?
EU citizens have been mystified by Czech happenings in 2009.
Czech president Vaclav Klaus long resisted signing the ratification of the EU Lisbon Treaty, the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) joined the anti-integrationist European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament and the Czech presidency of the EU Council during the first half of 2009 left a mixed record, including the fall of the government.
A caretaker government is fairly steadily led by Jan Fischer is in charge until the general election in May 2010, but outside government party political fragmentation undermines the picture of a mature democracy.
EPIN
The European Policy Institutes Network (EPIN) has published a paper by Mats Braun: Understanding Klaus – The Story of Czech Eurorealism (EPIN Working Paper No. 26 / November 2009; 11 pages).
Vaclav Klaus and ODS
Braun notes that the Czech population is less “eurosceptic” than members of the political elite, especially within the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), and even the ODS voters are more positive to the EU than the party. The ideological “eurorealism” of the ODS, founded by Vaclav Klaus, is based on fears of domination of the European Union institutions by big countries, and it seeks refuge in Czech sovereignty. In addition to ODS reticence on the right, the Communist Party opposes the EU on the left.
The ratification process of the Lisbon Treaty in the Czech Republic was slow, and some ODS senators loyal to Vaclav Klaus put up stiff resistance during the parliamentary debate and later. Vaclav Klaus’ view of intergovernmental cooperation is far outside the mainstream in Europe and the Czech Republic, but he signed the ratification instrument in order to evade a constitutional complaint for failing to fulfil his constitutional duties.
Europeanisation – slowly
Braun sees an ongoing process of Europeanisation of the ODS and its leader, ex prime minister Mirek Topolanek through interaction within the European Union, but the party is still split. On the other hand, joining the ECR group in the European Parliament together with the UK Conservative Party and the Polish Law and Justice Party (PiS) may conserve “eurosceptic” attitudes.
Braun draws the conclusion that the hard core of Czech eurosceptics is becoming more and more isolated, although the ODS party discourse is sticky.
According to Braun, the ratification problems of the Lisbon Treaty can be seen as an attempt by an ever-shrinking part of the political elite who resist socialisation (into Europe) to make a final effort to make an imprint on Europe. He even describes them as a dying breed, although he does not expect the ODS to leave the ECR group within a foreseeable future.
Klaus’ opt-out from the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights clearly exceeded the mandate of his office, but it remains to be seen if there will be a domestic debate on the legitimacy of this op-out in the Czech Republic.
***
Braun’s clear and well written working paper sheds light on events which have mystified Europeans A.D. 2009.
I checked Czech Happenings on the recent ODS party congress, but failed to find any news in English about the EU relations of the party. Mirek Topolanek is in charge until the elections, but there seem to be undercurrents of opposition.
Ralf Grahn
P.S. Do you find EUSSR myths fascinating? Are we EU citizens worth a better European Union? Read some or all of the 481 Euroblogs aggregated on multilingual Bloggingportal.eu. On most of the blogs you can comment and discuss our common European future.
Showing posts with label ECR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ECR. Show all posts
Thursday, 26 November 2009
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
BBC on ECR Group leader Michal Kaminski ─ Britain in EU
In Britain, the decision of the Conservative Party to leave the mainstream group of the European People’s Party (EPP) in the European Parliament in order to set up the anti-integrationist European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group continues to cause debate because of the Tories’ choice of political bedfellows.
BBC News has taken a closer look at the chairman of the ECR group, Polish MEP Michal Kaminski: Digging up the truth about Michal Kaminski (23 November 2009).
Kaminski has strenuously denied allegations that he is a homophobe, an anti-Semite or a neo-Nazi.
At national level Kaminski represents the Law and Justice Party (PiS), established by Lech and Jaroslaw Kaczynski.
The third main component of the ECR group is the Czech Civic Democratic Party (ODS), established by Vaclav Klaus.
***
War crimes, moral conservatism, Catholic fundamentalism and homophobia offer a heady mix for public debate in 21st century Europe.
Political influence in European Union affairs is another matter, but at least as important.
The ECR group is anti-integrationist, although it describes it as opposition to EU federalism. This sets it against the European mainstream, represented by the EPP, the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) and the Greens, all of which see the EU as a common project and strive to make it work better.
The ECR group does not describe itself as nationalist, but that is the effect of its emphasis on the sovereign integrity of the nation state, when the European Union has been established to achieve effective sovereignty by pooling, i.e. joining forces.
The ECR group does not support the European consensus view of a highly competitive social market economy; its formula of minimal regulation, lower taxation and small government embodies a vision built on free market fundamentalism.
These fundamental contrarian choices have left the European Conservatives and Reformists politically isolated in the European Parliament (and more widely in EU affairs). The ECR group has only one committee chairman among 20 in the European Parliament.
There are few indications that the ECR group will make hay in the nominations for the next EU Commission, or the assignment of portfolios.
“Freely cooperating, sovereign nation states” may still bring the ECR (UK Conservatives) a revival of fortunes, if the Tories win the general election about half a year from now. Veto powers and obstruction in the most intergovernmental EU institution, the Council, with a long tradition of consensus seeking – advancing according to the convoy principle – can give a new UK government an amount of negative influence: the power to stop, to slow down and to water down proposals.
But David Cameron and William Hague have promised more than that: In part, they want to prevent future integration by domestic legislation, partly they want to put integration into reverse gear, by repatriating powers during the next Parliament. The formula goes some way to appease anti-EU opinion at home, but it is hardly a recipe for coalition building with other member state governments within the European Union.
Ralf Grahn
P.S. Do you find EUSSR myths fascinating? Are we EU citizens worth a better European Union? Read some or all of the 481 Euroblogs aggregated on multilingual Bloggingportal.eu. On most of the blogs you can comment and discuss our common European future.
BBC News has taken a closer look at the chairman of the ECR group, Polish MEP Michal Kaminski: Digging up the truth about Michal Kaminski (23 November 2009).
Kaminski has strenuously denied allegations that he is a homophobe, an anti-Semite or a neo-Nazi.
At national level Kaminski represents the Law and Justice Party (PiS), established by Lech and Jaroslaw Kaczynski.
The third main component of the ECR group is the Czech Civic Democratic Party (ODS), established by Vaclav Klaus.
***
War crimes, moral conservatism, Catholic fundamentalism and homophobia offer a heady mix for public debate in 21st century Europe.
Political influence in European Union affairs is another matter, but at least as important.
The ECR group is anti-integrationist, although it describes it as opposition to EU federalism. This sets it against the European mainstream, represented by the EPP, the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) and the Greens, all of which see the EU as a common project and strive to make it work better.
The ECR group does not describe itself as nationalist, but that is the effect of its emphasis on the sovereign integrity of the nation state, when the European Union has been established to achieve effective sovereignty by pooling, i.e. joining forces.
The ECR group does not support the European consensus view of a highly competitive social market economy; its formula of minimal regulation, lower taxation and small government embodies a vision built on free market fundamentalism.
These fundamental contrarian choices have left the European Conservatives and Reformists politically isolated in the European Parliament (and more widely in EU affairs). The ECR group has only one committee chairman among 20 in the European Parliament.
There are few indications that the ECR group will make hay in the nominations for the next EU Commission, or the assignment of portfolios.
“Freely cooperating, sovereign nation states” may still bring the ECR (UK Conservatives) a revival of fortunes, if the Tories win the general election about half a year from now. Veto powers and obstruction in the most intergovernmental EU institution, the Council, with a long tradition of consensus seeking – advancing according to the convoy principle – can give a new UK government an amount of negative influence: the power to stop, to slow down and to water down proposals.
But David Cameron and William Hague have promised more than that: In part, they want to prevent future integration by domestic legislation, partly they want to put integration into reverse gear, by repatriating powers during the next Parliament. The formula goes some way to appease anti-EU opinion at home, but it is hardly a recipe for coalition building with other member state governments within the European Union.
Ralf Grahn
P.S. Do you find EUSSR myths fascinating? Are we EU citizens worth a better European Union? Read some or all of the 481 Euroblogs aggregated on multilingual Bloggingportal.eu. On most of the blogs you can comment and discuss our common European future.
Monday, 2 November 2009
Conservative Europarty hijacked?
The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament joins 54 members, which is well above the needed 25, but only three countries have substantial delegations: the UK Conservatives (25 MEPs), the Polish Law and Justice Party (PiS; 15) and the Czech Civic Democrats (ODS; 9). In addition, there are five solitary MEPs from five member states, which brings the number of countries represented to eight. This leaves the ECR with a slender margin above the minimum of seven countries.
The anti-integrationists have now set things in motion to start working as a political party at European level (Europarty) and to establish a foundation (think tank): Founding of the “Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists (AECR)” asbl/vzw (30 October 2009).
According to the ECR press release, the directorships have been transferred to the following MEP's: Mr. Jan Zahradil (President), Mr. Adam Bielan (Vice-President), and Mr. Dan Hannan (Secretary-General).
***
Hijacked?
In New Europe, Andy Carling reports that the transferral may have been more dramatic than a casual reader of the above press release would suspect: “A Right Wing Coup ─ Tory Euro-skeptics power grab endangers ECR Group and UK Election chances” (25 October 2009).
***
On Conservative Home, Tim Montgomerie has presented a blueprint for Tory policy, when the Lisbon Treaty is finally ratified by the last member state, the Czech Republic: “The Tories will NOT hold a referendum on Lisbon but seek a 'manifesto mandate' to renegotiate Britain's relationship with the EU” (1 November 2009).
As we are waiting for David Cameron and William Hague to detail their official “we won’t let matters rest there” formula, the news concerning the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists (AECR) has added to the number of question marks concerning the UK Conservative Party’s policies on Europe.
How far from the mainstream and influence are they poised to move?
Ralf Grahn
The anti-integrationists have now set things in motion to start working as a political party at European level (Europarty) and to establish a foundation (think tank): Founding of the “Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists (AECR)” asbl/vzw (30 October 2009).
According to the ECR press release, the directorships have been transferred to the following MEP's: Mr. Jan Zahradil (President), Mr. Adam Bielan (Vice-President), and Mr. Dan Hannan (Secretary-General).
***
Hijacked?
In New Europe, Andy Carling reports that the transferral may have been more dramatic than a casual reader of the above press release would suspect: “A Right Wing Coup ─ Tory Euro-skeptics power grab endangers ECR Group and UK Election chances” (25 October 2009).
***
On Conservative Home, Tim Montgomerie has presented a blueprint for Tory policy, when the Lisbon Treaty is finally ratified by the last member state, the Czech Republic: “The Tories will NOT hold a referendum on Lisbon but seek a 'manifesto mandate' to renegotiate Britain's relationship with the EU” (1 November 2009).
As we are waiting for David Cameron and William Hague to detail their official “we won’t let matters rest there” formula, the news concerning the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists (AECR) has added to the number of question marks concerning the UK Conservative Party’s policies on Europe.
How far from the mainstream and influence are they poised to move?
Ralf Grahn
Friday, 16 October 2009
European Parliament: ECR & EFD groups online
About two weeks ago, we remarked on the lack of web existence for the two right wing nationalist groups in the European Parliament: the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) and the Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group (EFD).
We then returned to the anti-EU ECR and the Europhobe EFD a few days later, but both political groups were still leading a nonline existence. There were still no traces of the ECR on 2 October 2009.
There have now been improvements.
***
Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group (EFD)
The Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group (EDF) has now managed to produce a web site under construction, with a link to a list of its 32 members and what should have been a link to its political platform (but it did not work).
There was nothing about the activities and initiatives of the EDF.
The link from the box with Political groups on the European Parliament’s web site still does not work.
***
European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR)
The European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) has now produced a professional web site.
The contents are still slim, but approaching those of the other political groups in the European Parliament.
The link from the European Parliament’s main page does work.
The ECR pages exist only in English, whereas the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) offers a wide selection of languages, and the centre-left S&D group and the liberal ALDE have a selection of the most widely spoken languages.
***
Three months after the political groups were established, they have made their appearance on the web, although the presence of the EFD Group is almost theoretical and the profile of the ECR Group is monolingual.
The undoubted residual attraction of the 19th and 20th century main ideology, nationalism, should encourage further presentational improvements.
The groups have a total of 86 members, almost 12 per cent of the seats in the European Parliament (736), so there is surely wider European interest in what they are doing.
The EDF and the ECR should not let matters rest there.
***
EP political groups
By the way, here is a link to the overview web page of the European Parliament on the political groups. (It is undated, and instead of the “7th parliamentary term”, the editors could have used years, which every reader understands.)
Ralf Grahn
We then returned to the anti-EU ECR and the Europhobe EFD a few days later, but both political groups were still leading a nonline existence. There were still no traces of the ECR on 2 October 2009.
There have now been improvements.
***
Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group (EFD)
The Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group (EDF) has now managed to produce a web site under construction, with a link to a list of its 32 members and what should have been a link to its political platform (but it did not work).
There was nothing about the activities and initiatives of the EDF.
The link from the box with Political groups on the European Parliament’s web site still does not work.
***
European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR)
The European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) has now produced a professional web site.
The contents are still slim, but approaching those of the other political groups in the European Parliament.
The link from the European Parliament’s main page does work.
The ECR pages exist only in English, whereas the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) offers a wide selection of languages, and the centre-left S&D group and the liberal ALDE have a selection of the most widely spoken languages.
***
Three months after the political groups were established, they have made their appearance on the web, although the presence of the EFD Group is almost theoretical and the profile of the ECR Group is monolingual.
The undoubted residual attraction of the 19th and 20th century main ideology, nationalism, should encourage further presentational improvements.
The groups have a total of 86 members, almost 12 per cent of the seats in the European Parliament (736), so there is surely wider European interest in what they are doing.
The EDF and the ECR should not let matters rest there.
***
EP political groups
By the way, here is a link to the overview web page of the European Parliament on the political groups. (It is undated, and instead of the “7th parliamentary term”, the editors could have used years, which every reader understands.)
Ralf Grahn
Friday, 2 October 2009
European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR)
As we noted about the political groups in the European Parliament, the anti-EU European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) seems to be practically inexistent on the web.
Jon Worth picked up the same ECR absence. I wrote a new blog post on the ECR’s lack of web presence, and Jon was seconded by Julien Frisch.
According to the Wikipedia article on the European Conservatives and Reformists, the group has 52 seats in the European Parliament, which makes it into the fifth largest group in the European Parliament.
In my view they are anti-EU nationalists.
The ECR group is the political home of the following national parties (Wikipedia): List Dedecker (Belgium), the Czech Civic Democratic Party (ODS), the Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF), For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK (Latvia), Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania (LLRA), the Christian Union (CU) (Netherlands), the Polish Law and Justice Party (PiS), as well as the Conservative Party and the Ulster Unionist Party (United Kingdom).
Internally, the biggest contingents are the UK Conservatives of David Cameron and William Hague with 25 MEPs, the Polish Law and Justice Party of the Kaczynski twins with 15 representatives and the Czech ODS split between the present leader Mirek Topolanek and ex-leader Vaclav Klaus with 9 members of the European Parliament.
The ECR group is chaired by Michal Kaminski from Poland.
***
It is hard to know what the ECR group is up to, since it has no web pages with basic information and updated news. Only incidentally is the ECR group mentioned in news reports about issues in the European Parliament.
It is hard to do less for “greater democratic accountability”.
Ralf Grahn
Jon Worth picked up the same ECR absence. I wrote a new blog post on the ECR’s lack of web presence, and Jon was seconded by Julien Frisch.
According to the Wikipedia article on the European Conservatives and Reformists, the group has 52 seats in the European Parliament, which makes it into the fifth largest group in the European Parliament.
In my view they are anti-EU nationalists.
The ECR group is the political home of the following national parties (Wikipedia): List Dedecker (Belgium), the Czech Civic Democratic Party (ODS), the Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF), For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK (Latvia), Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania (LLRA), the Christian Union (CU) (Netherlands), the Polish Law and Justice Party (PiS), as well as the Conservative Party and the Ulster Unionist Party (United Kingdom).
Internally, the biggest contingents are the UK Conservatives of David Cameron and William Hague with 25 MEPs, the Polish Law and Justice Party of the Kaczynski twins with 15 representatives and the Czech ODS split between the present leader Mirek Topolanek and ex-leader Vaclav Klaus with 9 members of the European Parliament.
The ECR group is chaired by Michal Kaminski from Poland.
***
It is hard to know what the ECR group is up to, since it has no web pages with basic information and updated news. Only incidentally is the ECR group mentioned in news reports about issues in the European Parliament.
It is hard to do less for “greater democratic accountability”.
Ralf Grahn
Where are the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR)?
In a blog post Wednesday 30 September 2009 I noted that the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) political group in the European Parliament seems to have no web site accessible from the EP’s start page, almost four months after the European elections.
Jon Worth has turned up with the same result with regard to the ECR Group (2 October 2009) after some web search of his own.
***
As I noted, the same lack of existence haunts the political group of Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD).
I checked again on the EP’s home page a few moments ago. Neither the ECR nor the EFD link leads anywhere.
These anti-EU and Europhobe groups have had time and they have enough resources to produce at least some web presence in the European Parliament, so the reasons must lie elsewhere.
Are they that incompetent?
Are their hard nationalistic platforms mutually exclusive?
Are they convinced of their irrelevance in European politics?
Do they find their supporters that undeserving of communications about their efforts in the European Union?
Their ideas may belong in the XIX century, but does it have to comprise their web presence?
Ralf Grahn
Jon Worth has turned up with the same result with regard to the ECR Group (2 October 2009) after some web search of his own.
***
As I noted, the same lack of existence haunts the political group of Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD).
I checked again on the EP’s home page a few moments ago. Neither the ECR nor the EFD link leads anywhere.
These anti-EU and Europhobe groups have had time and they have enough resources to produce at least some web presence in the European Parliament, so the reasons must lie elsewhere.
Are they that incompetent?
Are their hard nationalistic platforms mutually exclusive?
Are they convinced of their irrelevance in European politics?
Do they find their supporters that undeserving of communications about their efforts in the European Union?
Their ideas may belong in the XIX century, but does it have to comprise their web presence?
Ralf Grahn
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
European Parliament political groups
The opening page of the European Parliament has a handy box with access to the political groups.
According to size, you find the centre-right EPP Group (European People’s Party), the centre-left S&D (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats), ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe), the Greens/EFA (Greens and European Free Alliance) – all with updated information.
***
We then proceed to the ECR (European Conservatives and Reformists). The link for the anti-EU right leads nowhere.
***
The leftist GUE/NGL (European United Left – Nordic Green Left) features functioning web pages with news and information.
***
The link to the europhobe EFD (Europe of Freedom and Democracy) group leads nowhere.
***
The European Parliament was elected in June 2009, but the nationalistic parties on the right have been unable or unwilling to assemble working web pages with information to the public.
Ralf Grahn
According to size, you find the centre-right EPP Group (European People’s Party), the centre-left S&D (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats), ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe), the Greens/EFA (Greens and European Free Alliance) – all with updated information.
***
We then proceed to the ECR (European Conservatives and Reformists). The link for the anti-EU right leads nowhere.
***
The leftist GUE/NGL (European United Left – Nordic Green Left) features functioning web pages with news and information.
***
The link to the europhobe EFD (Europe of Freedom and Democracy) group leads nowhere.
***
The European Parliament was elected in June 2009, but the nationalistic parties on the right have been unable or unwilling to assemble working web pages with information to the public.
Ralf Grahn
Sunday, 20 September 2009
And the next EU Commissioner for multilingualism is …
When Bulgaria and Romania became members of the European Union on 1 January 2007 – well into the term of the first Barroso Commission – Meglena Kuneva from Bulgaria became Commissioner for consumer protection and the Romanian Leonard Orban was made the first Commissioner for multilingualism.
Consumer protection is potentially important for 500 million consumers in the European Union and the European Economic Area, but from an administrative point of view this field can only try to influence internal market legislation, not shape it. Supporting, supplementing and monitoring activities offer the Commissioner a modicum of visibility.
Through no fault of Orban, the Commission post for multilingualism became a byword for the “bloated” Commission the current Nice Treaty and the amending Lisbon Treaty wanted to trim in a union with 27 member states (and potentially more).
The word “multilingualism” does not appear in the existing treaties, although languages are important for the European Union and its citizens: treaty languages, official languages, working languages, translation, interpretation, publishing, cross-border communication, language teaching, language learning, business opportunities…
***
According to merit
In the Czech Republic, President Vaclav Klaus has opposed the will of the Parliament by refusing to sign the ratification instrument of the Lisbon Treaty, and a supporting fringe of supporters among the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) – defeated in the democratic arena after a protracted circus - have promised to delay ratification by a new legal challenge against the amending treaty, once cleared by the Constitutional Court.
They do not expect to win their legal challenge, just to sabotage the ratification process.
The Czech situation is partly an internal constitutional mess, but it has implications for the rest of Europe.
The European Union is structurally about as robust as a house of cards – founded on multiple unanimity requirements. In order to function even tolerably, the EU needs a high degree of cooperation between the member states.
Destructive behaviour should not go unnoticed. Countries should be judged on their merits.
If the Czech constitutional system is unable to sort out the ratification issue without delay, the Czech Commissioner should be awarded the multilingualism portfolio 2009 (if there is going to be a Czech Commissioner).
Ralf Grahn
P.S. Even if the supporters of ex-leader Vaclav Klaus are a fringe group within the ODS, the Civic Democrats in the European Parliament as a whole have joined the new anti-European political group the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), together with the UK Conservative Party of David Cameron and William Hague and the Polish Law and Justice Party (PiS) of the Kaczynski twins.
Consumer protection is potentially important for 500 million consumers in the European Union and the European Economic Area, but from an administrative point of view this field can only try to influence internal market legislation, not shape it. Supporting, supplementing and monitoring activities offer the Commissioner a modicum of visibility.
Through no fault of Orban, the Commission post for multilingualism became a byword for the “bloated” Commission the current Nice Treaty and the amending Lisbon Treaty wanted to trim in a union with 27 member states (and potentially more).
The word “multilingualism” does not appear in the existing treaties, although languages are important for the European Union and its citizens: treaty languages, official languages, working languages, translation, interpretation, publishing, cross-border communication, language teaching, language learning, business opportunities…
***
According to merit
In the Czech Republic, President Vaclav Klaus has opposed the will of the Parliament by refusing to sign the ratification instrument of the Lisbon Treaty, and a supporting fringe of supporters among the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) – defeated in the democratic arena after a protracted circus - have promised to delay ratification by a new legal challenge against the amending treaty, once cleared by the Constitutional Court.
They do not expect to win their legal challenge, just to sabotage the ratification process.
The Czech situation is partly an internal constitutional mess, but it has implications for the rest of Europe.
The European Union is structurally about as robust as a house of cards – founded on multiple unanimity requirements. In order to function even tolerably, the EU needs a high degree of cooperation between the member states.
Destructive behaviour should not go unnoticed. Countries should be judged on their merits.
If the Czech constitutional system is unable to sort out the ratification issue without delay, the Czech Commissioner should be awarded the multilingualism portfolio 2009 (if there is going to be a Czech Commissioner).
Ralf Grahn
P.S. Even if the supporters of ex-leader Vaclav Klaus are a fringe group within the ODS, the Civic Democrats in the European Parliament as a whole have joined the new anti-European political group the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), together with the UK Conservative Party of David Cameron and William Hague and the Polish Law and Justice Party (PiS) of the Kaczynski twins.
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