A scandal blending modern party conflicts with chivalric traditions and imperial heritage is erupting in European politics. The Head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, Karl Habsburg, issued an unprecedentedly harsh statement, accusing a segment of European lawmakers of working directly for the Kremlin. This was reported by RFI.
Double Treason
The 65-year-old descendant of the last Emperor of Austria-Hungary published a press release in which he directly labeled the “Patriots for Europe” faction (the third largest force in the European Parliament) the “fifth column of Moscow.”
According to Habsburg, many parties within this alliance are so closely tied to Vladimir Putin that their activities extend far beyond mere political opposition. “They are committing two acts of treason—against their own country and against Europe,” Karl Habsburg stated.
Chivalric Rebuke in Response
The attack targeted the Austrian right-wing party FPÖ, which is part of the “Patriots” bloc alongside Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (Rassemblement National) and Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party. The response was immediate and took a highly unusual form.
That same evening, former Austrian presidential candidate and prominent FPÖ member Norbert Hofer publicly renounced his title as an honorary knight of the Order of Saint George. It should be noted that this Christian chivalric order is a dynastic project of the House of Habsburgs, and Karl Habsburg himself holds the position of Grand Master within it.
Hofer explained that the decision made by the Head of the House of Habsburg contradicts the “spirit of mutual respect,” rendering his continued presence in the chivalric brotherhood impossible.
The Shadow of the Past and the Reality of the Present
This conflict has deep roots. Karl Habsburg, who was himself an MEP in the late 1990s, represents the traditional conservative line (ÖVP/EPP), which advocates for a strong and unified European Union.
On the other side stands the FPÖ, which signed an official cooperation agreement with United Russia in 2016. Although the party emphasizes that the document is no longer active, this fact appears to be an indelible mark for the heir to the imperial crown.
