A day after the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party was expelled from the Identity and Democracy (ID) group, a new ally proposed to form a new far-right group after the June elections. Revival party, a racist and pro-Russian party in Bulgaria, is ready to partner with AfD, according to an announcement by its leader, Kostadin Kostadinov, on Friday, May 24.
Founded in 2014, Revival combines its Russophilia with a harsh anti-EU, anti-NATO, and anti-American rhetoric. In addition, the party promotes anti-vax ideas and spreads racist slogans against the Roma community and the LGBT people in Bulgaria.
In a social media post, Kostadinov wrote that the expulsion of AfD from the ID group wasn’t a surprise for him as he expected it time ago.
“Yesterday it became clear that Alternative for Germany, the second largest political force in the largest European country, has been expelled from “Identity and Democracy” – the European party of which it was a member. This is not a surprise to me, and I have expected it for a long time,” the leader of Revival posted on May 24.
Relations between Revival and the ID group were quick and complex. Last January, the Bulgarian party became an ID member, but it was soon removed from the ID official portal. The reasons are still not entirely clear.
However, Revival has developed a close relationship with AfD. Kostadinov was invited to the party’s congress in July 2023, and representatives from AfD attended the annual commemoration of Liberation Day in 2024 in Bulgaria.
“However, this is excellent news because now we will have the opportunity to create a real conservative and sovereignist group in the European Parliament,” Konstantinov wrote. “Vazrazhdane will definitely work together with AfD. We have already taken steps to create a new group in the EP, so today, we will offer the German party to get involved and move the process together. We will not allow the current ruling liberal-fascist regime to continue. Our German friends can count on us, as can all other like-minded European political powers. Unity makes strength!”
According to the polls, Revival comes third with around 15-16% and is expected to elect up to 3 MEPs.
However, to create a group in the Parliament, the new initiative must recruit at least 23 members (MEPs) from seven countries.
Revival also developed relations with the Hungarian Our Homeland Movement (Mi Hazánk Mozgalom, MHM), which may send one or even two MEPs to Brussels. An Ipsos poll for Euronews back in March found MHM’s support at 9.4%. Recent polls give the party between 6 and 4%.
New far-right and extremist parties that will enter the Parliament after the June election—including parties from Poland, Romania, and Slovakia—may create the conditions for such a group in the European Parliament. It is also interesting to see if any of the ID members will follow the AfD. Of particular interest is the reaction of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ).
