The Guardian view on the far right’s plans for Brussels: doing the work of Xi, Putin and Trump

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, October 29, 2026

Far-right leaders like Marine Le Pen and Alice Weidel are pushing to drastically reduce the European Union’s powers and funding, aiming to prioritize national sovereignty over supranational governance. This growing Eurosceptic movement threatens EU integration at a time of geopolitical uncertainty, potentially weakening coordinated efforts on defense, climate policy, and European strategic autonomy.

Following the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union in 2016, far-right political leaders in Europe have intensified efforts to challenge the bloc’s authority from within. Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s National Rally, and Alice Weidel, co-chair of the German right-wing party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), have publicly outlined plans to significantly reduce the power and funding of the EU’s central institutions.

Le Pen, whose party was once an advocate of France exiting the EU entirely, has shifted strategy in light of the economic difficulties faced by the UK post-Brexit. Instead of pursuing a full withdrawal, the National Rally is now focusing on diminishing France’s financial contributions to the EU budget by 60% over a five-year presidential term and eliminating Brussels’ role in coordinating policies among the 27 member states. Similarly, Weidel has proposed a radical overhaul of the EU, including abolishing European Parliament elections and obtaining German opt-outs on key areas such as migration, defense, and common borrowing.

These proposals reflect a broader vision for a “Europe of nations” in which the sovereignty of member states would be prioritized over supranational governance. Far-right parties across Europe, including those in Italy and Poland, are gaining electoral ground, and Weidel has set 2029—the year of the next German federal election—as a potential turning point when Eurosceptic governments could collectively reshape the union’s future.

Observers note that these far-right agendas align with the geopolitical interests of external powers such as China, Russia, and the United States under former President Donald Trump, which stand to benefit from a fragmented and weakened European Union. The erosion of EU integration, particularly in defense and climate policy, risks undermining initiatives for European strategic autonomy and coordinated action on pressing global challenges.

Pro-European leaders have so far shown limited response to this rising internal dissent. Aside from outspoken figures like former French President Emmanuel Macron and former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, who have emphasized the necessity of stronger industrial and strategic policies to maintain Europe’s global competitiveness, the urgency to counter these far-right initiatives has been muted.

The debate over the EU’s future comes at a critical juncture amid growing geopolitical uncertainty and economic challenges. While far-right voices rally with clear and impassioned calls for redefining the bloc, proponents of deeper integration face the task of articulating a compelling vision that can rally public and political support.

As Europe approaches this pivotal moment, the trajectory of the EU may well hinge on the ability of its advocates to mount an effective defense against the fragmentation efforts championed by the far right.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.