NY Young Republican Club President to Address Pretoria Conference Hosted by Afrikaner Nationalists
Stefano Forte, the president of the New York Young Republican Club (NYYRC) and executive director of the billionaire-funded 1776 Project Pac, is scheduled to speak at the Lex Libertas Future of Nations conference in Pretoria, South Africa, on February 25. This event is hosted by an Afrikaner nationalist group, marking a significant step in cementing institutional bonds between the NYYRC, Afrikaner organizations, and the European far right.
Building International Far-Right Networks
The conference will feature leading figures from the Afrikaner Solidarity Movement, members of Belgium's far-right Vlaams Belang party—whose predecessor was outlawed for racism—and a political analyst from a thinktank fully funded by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's regime. This gathering represents a broader trend where right-wing groups worldwide share ideas and learn from each other, according to experts.
Rita Abrahamsen, a professor of African studies at Oxford University, noted that such conferences are platforms for forming networks and exchanging ideologies. The connections have already influenced U.S. foreign policy, with Jaco Kleynhans, the Solidarity Movement's head of international liaison, reporting increased engagement with U.S. government officials in recent months.
Historical Context and Influence
Lex Libertas, the hosting organization, was founded in February 2025 by Ernst Roets, an Afrikaner activist with deep ties to the Solidarity Movement. Roets has long promoted Afrikaner nationalism internationally, including during the Trump administration, where his advocacy reportedly impacted U.S. policies. In 2018, he appeared on Tucker Carlson's Fox News show, claiming the South African government was complicit in farm attacks, which later prompted a tweet from then-President Donald Trump.
Roets has cultivated a relationship with the NYYRC over several years, headlining events and serving as a toastmaster at the club's 113th annual gala in December 2025. At that gala, Forte refused to denounce Germany's far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party, declaring the club's readiness to endorse Trump for a third term in 2028.
Expanding the Far-Right Network
The Pretoria conference brings together various elements of an increasingly visible international far-right network. Kleynhans, who previously led the Orania Movement, has met with senior Trump administration officials to advocate for sanctions against South African leaders. The Vlaams Belang contingent includes leader Tom Van Grieken and members who have raised Afrikaner issues in European parliaments.
Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, emphasized that these movements share white nationalist ideologies, which are driving policies like restricting refugee admissions to white South Africans. She warned that the mainstreaming of such extremism has brought these alliances into the open.
Implications and Future Outlook
Abrahamsen highlighted that groups like Orania are seen as models of self-government by international far-right actors, attracting interest from figures like Forte and Hungarian officials. This reflects a growing alignment against global liberalism, with these networks using conferences to strengthen their influence and shape political agendas both domestically and abroad.
The ongoing collaboration between the NYYRC, Afrikaner nationalists, and European far-right parties underscores a strategic effort to build a cohesive international movement, with potential implications for future U.S. and global politics.
