The European Parliament has voted in favor of an official review procedure concerning the party family Europa der souveränen Nationen (ESN), which includes the AfD. The decision was made on Tuesday with 414 votes in favor to 224 against, with 18 abstentions.
These proceedings were prompted by the Independent Authority for European Political Parties and Foundations (APPF), which had previously raised doubts regarding the ESN party’s compliance with core European Union values. The APPF is responsible for monitoring, registering, and sanctioning political organizations across the EU. It notified the Parliament, the Council, and the Commission of facts suggesting that the ESN party may not adhere to EU standards.
The Parliament, the Council, and the Commission now have two months to decide whether to initiate a formal review request. If such a request is made, the independent authority will assess the ESN party’s observance of fundamental EU values, including democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights-all of which are prerequisites for operating as a registered European political party. Any decision to revoke the party’s registration will only become effective if neither the Parliament nor the Council objects.
