France’s Marine Le Pen, who chairs the Rassemblement National (RN) group in the French National Assembly, which is attached to the Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament, called on Giorgia Meloni, President of the Italian Council and President of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) party, to unite in the columns of the Italian newspaper Corriere della sera on Saturday 25 May.
“If we succeed, we could become the second largest group in the European Parliament”, said Ms Le Pen during a visit to northern France. “I think she and I agree on the essentials, including taking back control of our respective countries. After that, it is the people who decide, and we must always remember that”, she added. According to her, “now is the time to unite, it would help us a lot”.
This desire for closer ties follows the RN leader’s attendance at the ‘Europa Viva 24’ convention organised by the ECR party in Madrid on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May (see EUROPE 13413/3). It also coincides with the RN’s break with the German far right (see EUROPE 13414/24) and the exclusion of the German Alternative for Germany (AfD) party from the ID group (see EUROPE 13415/2) last week.
Ms Le Pen has assured us that this break-up has not been used as an instrument to extend cooperation in Europe. “It was simply no longer possible to continue with the AfD and, at some point, when that is no longer possible, you have to say ‘stop’”, she justified. (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)