Headlined by Nigel Farage and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a symposium on “ the preservation of the nation-state in Europe » organized this Wednesday, April 17 in Brussels benefited from unexpected publicity: the ban promulgated by the municipality hosting the event.
3 mins
The National Conservatism Conference finally took place. After two days of a real political-judicial soap opera, this meeting of the European nationalist right was able to be held this Wednesday in Brussels, the Belgian Council of State having invalidated the ban order issued Tuesday by the commune of Saint- Josse hosting the event. In its judgment, the highest court in the country considered that “ the constitutional right to peacefully assemble » had been ignored by the mayor, the elected socialist Emir Kir.
The latter had essentially motivated his order by highlighting “ the risks of disturbances of public order caused by demonstrations by opponents which could lead to serious clashes “. But ” in such cases, measures should be taken to contain demonstrations on public roads rather than prohibiting a private meeting. The authority must at least endeavor to protect people who intend to exercise their right to assemble, enshrined in the Constitution », affirmed the Council of State.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the main headliner of the meeting, welcomed this outcome, seeing in this episode proof of “ the growing oppression against those who defend freedoms “. This attempted ban illustrates the fact that “ in Europe, and in particular in Brussels, freedom is in danger “, he estimated.
Outcry
The ban decided by the mayor of the Brussels commune of Saint-Josse, the elected socialist Emir Kir, had been denounced by several European heads of government, including the British Rishi Sunak and the Belgian Alexander De Croo as an attack on freedom of expression and meeting. “ Municipal autonomy ” East ” a cornerstone of our democracy “, but she ” can never prevail over the Belgian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression and peaceful assembly “, said Alexander De Croo.
Among the other personalities of the nationalist family invited to speak at “NatCon” were the Briton Nigel Farage, champion of Brexit, and Eric Zemmour, former French presidential candidate. Announced themes of the debates: “The return of the nation-state”, “Save the children! » or even “My faith and the family in crisis”.
Eric Zemmour, who was blocked from entering the conference venue on Tuesday afternoon by a police cordon, was able to return on Wednesday morning, all smiles in front of the cameras. “ The mayor, the burgomaster as they say here, who apparently has links with Erdogan’s Islamist Gray Wolves, uses the police as a private militia to prevent French and Europeans from freely intervening. Belgium was once a free country where we welcomed Victor Hugo in exile, I see that today, it is a country which is between sharia and dictatorship », castigated the leader of the far-right Reconquest! party.
It must be said that the mayor of the commune of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode is open to criticism, points out our correspondent in Brussels, Pierre Benazet. He announced the ban by adding “ the far right is not welcome “. But of Turkish origin and accused of denial of the Armenian genocide, he himself had been excluded from the socialist party for having received far-right Turkish elected officials at the town hall.
Read alsoThe far right conquers Europe
(And with AFP)