The Italian Minister of the Interior and patron of the Lega, Matteo Salvini, on Monday 8 April in Milan, called for the largest possible group to be set up in the European Parliament (see EUROPE 12228/7) after the European elections in May.
"We are now expanding our family, our community for a new European dream. Because for many people, for many citizens today the EU is a nightmare", he began.
Together with Jörg Meuthen of the Alternative Party for Germany (AfD), Olli Kotro of the Finns Party and Anders Vistisen of the Danish People's Party, he invited the political movements belonging to the ECR, ENF and EFDD groups - to which the four representatives' parties belong - to merge into a new parliamentary group, to defend a "Europe of common sense".
"We are four representatives of political parties who want to start working on the creation of a new European group after the European elections on 26 May. A European Alliance for People and Nations", said Jörg Meuthen.
"This family is going to be larger, including movements we have never been operating with in the past", added Matteo Salvini.
Asked about the absence of his great ally, Marine Le Pen, at the conference, he assured that he had been mandated by all the political movements in his group in the European Parliament, including the Rassemblement National, to launch this appeal.
While he acknowledged the differences between sovereignist movements, there are, in his view, common issues such as border control or the fight against terrorism and extremism, on which these movements can build something together.
For Anders Vistisen, the points of union of these movements go far beyond differences. A "union of conservative and patriotic movements in Europe" would be for him a "historic victory" and he wants them to actively engage in a real discussion.
"It is not about finding a common policy on all details", he said, but rather of "defending national states’ right to find their own path".
Matteo Salvini also confirmed that a major meeting (see EUROPE 12230/22) will be held on 18 May in Milan, bringing together all the "European allies". (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)