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🇫🇷 France /Elections & Politics

«Our victory is near»: In Milan, Jordan Bardella holds a joint meeting with his European allies

From Le Figaro · (4d ago) French Critical tone

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Far-right European leaders, including Jordan Bardella of France and Geert Wilders of the Netherlands, met in Milan.
  • The meeting, organized by Italy's Lega party, focused on issues like immigration and EU regulations.
  • Speakers criticized Islam and called for stricter border controls and "remigration."

In a significant show of pan-European nationalist solidarity, leaders from far-right parties gathered in Milan for a "Patriots for Europe" (PfE) meeting. Hosted by Matteo Salvini's Lega party, the event aimed to present a united front against what they perceive as the overreach of the European Union and the challenges posed by immigration.

French National Rally president Jordan Bardella, Dutch Party for Freedom leader Geert Wilders, and Greece's Afroditi Latinopoulou were among the key figures present. While Bardella stated his intention was to find allies to shift the EU's direction, the rhetoric from some speakers, including Italian TV host Mario Giordano, was intensely critical of Islam, LGBTQ+ rights, and environmental regulations. Wilders also directed strong criticism towards Islam.

Our victory is near.

— Jordan BardellaStating his belief in the future success of his party and its European allies.

The meeting, held near Milan's Duomo, a symbol of Christendom, underscored the religious and cultural undertones of the movement. The call for "remigration" – the mass deportation of immigrants – was a central theme, reflecting a shared desire among these parties to reshape national identities and border policies.

He courageously prevented the landing of illegal migrants. I would like to tell him that his fight is not only his, it is that of all European countries that refuse massive immigration, it is ours.

— Jordan BardellaPraising Matteo Salvini's past actions on immigration and framing it as a shared European struggle.

Notably absent was Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a key figure in the European right, who had recently suffered a political defeat in Hungary. Bardella downplayed Orbán's absence, suggesting a division of tasks, but it highlights the evolving dynamics within the European nationalist movement. Bardella himself, while reading his speech in Italian, focused on praising Italy and Salvini's past actions, particularly regarding border control, positioning their shared struggle against "massive immigration" as a European cause.

This gathering represents a concerted effort by these parties to coordinate their strategies and amplify their message ahead of future European elections. Their focus on sovereignty, immigration control, and traditional values positions them as a distinct bloc challenging the mainstream political consensus in Europe.

Do not see any conclusion to be drawn. We are simply sharing the task.

— Jordan BardellaAddressing the absence of Marine Le Pen from the event.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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