By Angelo Amante
ROME ( Reuters )- German even- right parties met in Italy on Saturday vowing to suppress immigration to the continent and to oppose a subsequent five- year term for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The parties gathered in Rome, galvanised by elections suggesting nationalist and much straight parties are likely to produce solid gains in elections to the European Parliament in June.
But beyond partnership on softening immigration rules, faultlines have become visible in Europe’s much- right camp.
The meeting of the Identity and Democracy ( ID ) group included delegations from Italy’s League, France’s Rassemblement National ( RN), Austria’s Freedom Party ( FPO ), Portugal’s Chega and Belgium’s Vlaams Belang.
” A land that does not protect its edges, a European Union …. that does not protect its borders commits crime against its people”, said Italy’s League head Matteo Salvini.
Salvini is deputy prime minister in Giorgia Meloni‘s state but has failed to include her in the ID team.
The ID team is now the seventh- largest in the EU assembly, but present voting data place it in third placement. Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party is part of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR ).
While the ECR is solidly on the Russian side in its battle against Russia, contradictions lie within the ID’s rates.
Salvini, who in the history has been a ardent admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said “warmongers” like French President Emmanuel Macron were a concern for Europe, after Paris opened the door to European countries sending soldiers to Ukraine.
French significantly- right leader Marine Le Pen, who addressed the rally via video link, taunted Meloni suggesting she had support EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for a minute mandate.
” Giorgia… may you help a second von der Leyen name or not? I believe thus. And so you will lead to worsening the laws that the people of Europe are suffering from but much”, she said, noting her alliance Salvini would resist this.
ID held a similar meeting in Florence in December, but this time the Alternative for Germany ( AfD ) party, one of its key members which has been hit by racism allegations at home, was not invited.
Some senior League figures, the governors of the wealthy northern regions, also did not show up, underscoring discontent inside a party which is now polling below 9 % after hitting a record 34 % at the 2019 EU elections.
( Reporting by Angelo Amante and Giulio Piovaccari, editing by Christina Fincher )
