Key facts
- The EPP leadership in the European Parliament has proposed expelling Slovenian MEP Branko Grims.
- The expulsion is due to Grims' cooperation with far-right lawmakers and his failure to follow the EPP's voting line.
- A vote on Grims' expulsion is scheduled for Wednesday in Strasbourg.
- Grims co-organized an event with far-right groups aimed at forming a right-wing majority in the EP.
- The resolution also condemns Grims' statements on the Digital Services Act and the Court of Justice of the EU.
The leadership of the center-right European People’s Party (EPP) in the European Parliament has proposed expelling Slovenian MEP Branko Grims. The decision stems from Grims' alleged cooperation with far-right lawmakers and his consistent failure to adhere to the EPP's voting line on crucial legislative files.
A vote on Grims' expulsion is scheduled for Wednesday in Strasbourg, according to EPP spokesperson Pedro López de Pablo. Grims, a member of Janez Janša’s Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), has been an outlier within the EPP, frequently aligning with parties on the far-right and diverging from his group’s positions. Notably, he supported a motion of censure against the European Commission, led by EPP member Ursula von der Leyen.
A draft resolution obtained by POLITICO states that the group deplores Grims' conduct and lack of commitment, citing his repeated cooperation with the far right to the detriment of the group’s objectives. The resolution also expresses regret over Grims' failure to serve the group’s will and meet its working standards during crucial votes, particularly concerning Rule of Law-related reports.
In May, Grims co-organized an event titled “Towards a right-wing majority in the EP” with members of the far-right Patriots and Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) groups. This initiative aimed to break the EPP’s established firewall against cooperating with these parties, drawing criticism from the EPP leadership, which had denied him authorization and prohibited the use of the EPP logo for the event.
The resolution further condemns Grims’ assertions that the Digital Services Act enables “censorship” and his call for the abolition of the Court of Justice of the EU. It also highlights his endorsement of Viktor Orbán over EPP-affiliated Péter Magyar during the Hungarian election campaign and his co-signing of written questions to the Commission drafted by ESN group lawmakers.
The EPP has previously relied on support from far-right groups for legislation, particularly on migration and business deregulation. However, the group maintains it has not systematically negotiated with the far right, merely benefiting from their votes. This claim faced scrutiny in March following revelations of active coordination on the returns regulation via a WhatsApp group, which prompted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to demand an end to such practices and hold EPP leader Manfred Weber accountable.