Far-right European parties ban several major news outlets from German conference

News organisations say they were barred for 'not meeting journalistic standards in past reporting of the party'

Caroline Mortimer
Friday 13 January 2017 14:04 GMT
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(L to R) Politicians including former Ukip member Janice Atkinson from United Kingdom, Lorenzo Fontana from Veneto, Tomio Okamura from Czech Republic, Marcus Pretzell from Germany, Hans Christian Strache from Austria, Harald Vilimsky from Austria, Marie Le Pen from France and Gerolf Annemans from Flanders pose for photographers at meeting in Vienna in June 2016
(L to R) Politicians including former Ukip member Janice Atkinson from United Kingdom, Lorenzo Fontana from Veneto, Tomio Okamura from Czech Republic, Marcus Pretzell from Germany, Hans Christian Strache from Austria, Harald Vilimsky from Austria, Marie Le Pen from France and Gerolf Annemans from Flanders pose for photographers at meeting in Vienna in June 2016

A bloc of right-wing parties in the European Parliament have banned a number of major media organisations from covering their upcoming conference.

The Europe for Nations and Freedom group includes French presidential candidate, Marine Le Pen’s Front National (FN), the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Dutch politician Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom and Italy’s Northern League.

They will be meeting in the German city of Koblenz on 21 January.

But organisers have blocked several news outlets from attending the summit, saying they had “not met journalistic standards in past reporting of the party”, German newspaper Die Welt reported.

German broadcaster ARD has threatened to sue over its exclusion and its programme director, Volker Herres, condemned “this massive encroachment against the freedom to report”.

He said: "It is a loss for our audience that we won't be able to report on the meeting of right-wing populist parties in Europe. This gathering is of great importance for the future political course of this movement."

But the eurosceptic German MEP Marcus Pretzell defended the decision.

Keeping public broadcasters away would benefit German viewers, who are required to pay a monthly fee for the service, said the AfD member.

It was a "win win" situation for them, added Mr Pretzell, who was heavily criticised after he blamed German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the lorry attack on a Berlin Christmas market which killed nine and injured dozens of others.

Other German news organisations blocked from reporting on the event include business newspaper Handelsblatt, weekly magazine Der Spiegel and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Mr Pretzell said.

Some of the parties attending the event appear to be well positioned to make major gains in upcoming elections in their home countries.

Ms Le Pen also looks poised to reach the run-off vote for the French presidency.

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