Le Pen threatens the Italian political balance: the danger for Meloni
If until yesterday, for both her opponents and her allies, the queen maker of the right was the leader of Fdi, as of tomorrow the baton could conceivably pass to Le Pen. All the more so if the Conservative group (Ecr), of which Fdi is the main delegation, were to lose the third position it has just gained
2' min read
2' min read
The enthusiasm of Matteo Salvini, the silence of Fratelli d'Italia: the reaction coming from the Italian right in the hours following the news of the victory of Marine Le Pen is very different. A difference that is political and destined to be reflected in the balance within the majority, in Italy as in Europe.
Yes, because the elections in France are taking place in parallel with the start of the new European legislature and the negotiations on the selection of the new EU executive, which is also leading Giorgia Meloni in the search for a portfolio commensurate 'with the weight that Italy is due'. And certainly the belligerent tones of her deputy prime minister, who even on Sunday 30 June returned to attack Ursula von der Leyen, do not help her. And even less so the leghist's cheer for the new extreme-right group of 'patriots' that the Hungarian Viktor Orban and the Austrian Herbert Kickl, number one of the Freedom Party and with ambitions of winning the premiership in the autumn, together with the former Czech premier Andrej Babis, are forming. A group that currently has a dislike for von der Leyen and a benevolent attitude towards Vladimir Putin instead.
An attitude that also finds fertile ground in the League and in Le Pen. For the time being, the RN leader - grappling with the 7 July ballot - avoids exposing herself, not least so as not to frighten that moderate Gaullist electorate that is ready to side with her candidates. Salvini, however, does the talking. "We want to widen as much as possible the perimeter of a strong, patriotic, cohesive group that is opposed to inciuciucius," is the wish of the leader of the League who counts - through his transalpine ally - on increasing his political weight. If, in fact, until yesterday for both his opponents and his allies, the queen maker of the right was Giorgia Meloni, from tomorrow the baton could probably pass to Le Pen. All the more so if the Conservative group (Ecr), of which Fdi is the main delegation, were to lose the third position it has just gained.
In the coming days (by 3 July) the former Polish premier Mateusz Morawiecki will have to decide whether or not the 20 Pis MPs will remain in the Ecr or instead join Orban's formation despite their distance on Putin's Russia. The game, however, is set to continue at least until 18 July when the Europarliament will decide on von der Leyen's encore. Not a peep from Palazzo Chigi. The other deputy, Antonio Tajani, who is also leader of Forza Italia and vice-president of the EPP, is working to make the Melonians converge on the confirmation of the outgoing president of the Commission. On him the strali of the leghists. But it is clear that the real objective is another.
