Farage’s EFDD group in Parliament collapses

The eurosceptic Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD), political group in the European Parliament which includes the British UKIP and the Italian Five Stars Movement, was dissolved on 16 October 2014 after Latvian MEP Iveta Gricule left the group.

In a press statement, EFDD claimed Grigule was 'blackmailed' by the leaders of the two largest groups - the centre-right European People's Party and the Social-Democrats - in order to get the chairmanship of the EP-Kazakhstan delegation.

Political groups need to have at least 25 MEPs from 7 different EU countries, according to the rules from the chamber. While the EFDD had 48 members, these only represented six countries after the exit of Mrs Gricule.

EUObserver reported on the 20 October 2014 that Robert Iwaszkiewicz, MEP from Poland’s far-right KNP party, had joined the EFDD, which might permit the group to survive.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Eurosceptics make controversial return to EU Parliament http://www.europeansources.info/record/eurosceptics-make-controversial-return-to-eu-parliament/

BBC News, 16.10.14: Eurosceptic MEP group collapses http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29646414

EUObserver, 16.10.14: Farage's eurosceptic EP group falls apart http://euobserver.com/political/126106

ESO: Background information: Farage again denied key European Parliament posts http://www.europeansources.info/record/farage-again-denied-key-european-parliament-posts/

EFDD: Latest News: Political blackmail by federalists leads to MEP resignation and collapse of Eurosceptic group in European Parliament http://www.efdgroup.eu/newsroom/item/political-blackmail-by-federalists-leads-to-mep-resignation-and-collapse-of-eurosceptic-group-in-european-parliament?category_id=132

Deutsche Welle, 16.10.14: EU parliament's euroskeptic bloc collapses http://dw.de/p/1DWWn

France24, 16.10.14: Eurosceptic Farage’s EU parliament group collapses http://www.france24.com/en/20141016-uk-ukip-far-right-leader-nigel-farage-suffers-eu-blow/

Der Standard, 17.10.14: Detrimental fragmentation of EU Parliament (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE152115-Detrimental-fragmentation-of-EU-Parliament

Website: Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD) http://www.efdgroup.eu/

Deutsche Welle, 18.10.14: Bitter defeat for EU opponents in the European Parliament http://dw.de/p/1DYCN

EUObserver, 20.10.14: Far-right Polish MEP saves Farage group http://euobserver.com/political/126151

BBC News, 20.10.14: UKIP's alliance in Europe rescued by Polish MEP http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29692378

EurActiv, 20.10.14: MEP from party led by racist could save Farage's EFDD http://www.euractiv.com/sections/eu-priorities-2020/mep-party-led-racist-could-save-farages-efdd-309336

The Guardian, 20.10.14: Ukip does deal with far-right, racist Holocaust-denier to save EU funding http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/oct/20/ukip-does-deal-with-far-right-to-save-european-grouping

The Guardian, 21.10.14: Nigel Farage deal with Polish far-right party ‘raises serious questions’ http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/oct/21/nigel-farage-jews-polish-far-right-ukip-deal-robert-iwaszkiewicz

BBC News, 21.10.14: UKIP's Nigel Farage defends Polish MEP joining European Parliament group http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29706994

The Guardian [Opinion], 22.10.14: Nigel Farage needs a Polish rightwinger in his Euro group because money talks http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/22/ukip-needs-polish-rightwinger-money-talks

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