“Free Palestine” makes its debut at the European Championships in five countries: lists and candidates from Sweden to Spain

Azergui, leader of the Union of Muslim Democrats of France: "We will use the elections to make the voice of the Palestinians heard"

ROME – An alliance that spans five European countries, united under the colors of the Palestinian flag, and ready to face the polls on June 8 and 9. On the day in which the first European countries announce their intention to recognize the State of Palestine, Nagib Azergui, leading engineer of the Union des démocrates musulmans de France (Udmf) presents at the Dire “Free Palestine Party” ).
It’s called the “Free Palestine Party” and presents itself as a transnational civic movement. Ready to participate in the European elections with lists and candidates that are strictly “anti-Zionist” and “anti-imperialist”. Convinced that the European Union, as Israel’s main commercial partner, has what it takes to have its say; and that must push for a solution to the conflict in the Middle East by focusing on “two peoples and two states”starting from a 360-degree dialogue, which includes everyone. Including Hamas.

“Europe must be consistent with its promises of peace on the continent and in the world” underlines in an interview with the Dire agency Nagib Azergui, telecommunications engineer at the head of < strong>Union des démocrates musulmans de France (Udmf), one of the promoting groups of the Free Palestine Party. On a national level, the Union presents itself as a centre-left force, committed to countering the “anti-Muslim propaganda” of the “extreme right” parties. At the European elections in June it will have allies and connected lists in Germany, Holland , Sweden, Spain and, if there are no surprises, also in Belgium and Greece.
“The coalition project was born just over a year ago”, recalls Azergui. “The objective was to form a European network of independent parties animated by citizens of the Muslim religion; for now we have not been able to delve into the Italian dossier in depth but we plan to do so in the near future”.
However, a lot of work has been done. “In the Udmf”, reports the head of the Union, “we have attempted to map the existing formations in the EU territory and to study how to develop a common project, on a European scale”.

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“THE EXTREME RIGHT MOVEMENTS ARE CONTAMINATING ALL EUROPEAN DEMOCRAcies”

According to Azergui, of Moroccan origins, born and raised in Nanterre, in the north-west banlieue of Paris, there is still a long way to go. “However, it is encouraging”, says the head of the Union, “that we have managed to federate the realities of five different countries, from the northern end of the continent to the Mediterranean”. But what does the “far right” have to do with Europe’s social problems? “With their attacks directed exclusively against the presence of Muslims” replies Azergui, “these movements are contaminating all European democracies”.

THE EUROPEAN ELECTIONS: AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE EU’S FOREIGN POLICY

Then there is the international commitment, starting from the Middle East. According to the head of the Union, “it must be Europe that resolves the drama that it itself created with the partition of Palestine“.
The reference is to the Balfour Declaration strong>, which in 1917 prefigured the birth of a Jewish state after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, but obviously we come to the present day, with the new flare-up of the conflict that broke out on 7 October 2023. “In the Gaza Strip we are witnessing a real genocide by a government that militarily occupies territories that are not its own” denounces Azergui. Under accusation is the executive of Benjamin Netanyahu, who the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court would now like to arrest together with the leaders of Hamas for suspected war crimes and crimes against humanity.
But can one vote really be enough to stop violence? Azergui answers neither “yes” nor “no”. He simply relaunches a commitment: “We want to use the elections to make the voices of the Palestinians heard and demand a radical change in European foreign policy”.

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