Conservative columnist reclaims European identity

A pro-government pundit accuses liberal EU elites of trying to force an artificial uniform European identity on all EU member states. She calls on conservatives to defend authentic European identity which is rooted in diverse national identities.

Magyar Hírlap’s Mariann Őry calls on the Right to reclaim European identity from liberals. The pro-government commentator recalls that during the weekend, both PM Viktor Orbán and Italian League party leader Matteo Salvini said that they, not the Brussels elite represent Europe. Europe, Őry  argues, consists of its member states, and therefore it cannot be equated with the institutions of the European Union. Therefore, the common European identity advocated by liberal elites is ‘artificial and rootless’, as opposed to real European identities which are local, regional and national, while they also have a common European core, she adds. She goes on to note that all this is not just a matter of symbolic politics. Őry accuses liberal elites of trying to impose on Europe liberal social norms including progressive gender ideology and pro-migration attitudes as well as a uniform understanding of the rule of law and democracy in the name of a common European identity, regardless whether such norms fit local and national norms. Őry hopes that conservatives will resist such a drive and reclaim European identity from liberals.

Tags: European Union, nationalism