Le Pen Hails New Nationalist Party in Romania

While far-right parties have been gaining strength across the EU for years, Romania has for some years prided itself on having no such equivalent in its mainstream politics.

That may change, however, as Romanian nationalists prepare to launch the "National Force", a party that models itself on France's far-right National Front.

"We support the idea of increased sovereignty for Romania as well as rethinking the basic principles of the European Union," MEP Laurentiu Rebega stold a press conference in Sinaia in southern Romania on Saturday.

Rebega, the only Romanian member of extreme right "Europe of Nations and Freedom" group in the European Parliament, added that the new party will better promote Romania and ensure its citizens "benefit from the same treatment as other Europeans".

The new party enjoys strong support from Marine Le Pen, leader of France's powerful National Front, who came to Sinaia to join an international conference of right-wing politicians.

Other guests included Dutch MEP Marcel de Graaff, Edouard Ferrand from France and Franz Obermayr from Austria.

"The European Union is not adapted to the realities of our time. We need a different type of cooperation between European people, which respects their history, sovereignty and liberty. The EU is unable to resolve the current crisis," Ms Le Pen said.

"That's I am here: to promote our patriotic coalition from the European Parliament and that from Romania. I urge all Romanians to join the National Force," she added.

Both politicians are controversial. While Le Pen herself is accused of dubious finances and of flirting with Moscow, her party is often accused of xenophobia and anti-Semitism.

Rebega faces prosecution in a case...