Meloni allies himself with Le Pen. But Marion, not Marine. Exclusive

European elections, the leader of the Brothers of Italy does not want to grant competitive advantages to Salvini's League

They deny there is an ongoing courtship towards Marine Le Pen. And they deny even more that this is a wink that could lead to concrete results immediately after the European elections. Yet the words spoken by him have aroused a certain interest among professionals Giorgia Meloni in the press conference at the beginning of the year. The incompatibility with the German ultra-right of AfDMeloni distinguished the position of the Lepenist Rassemblement National, judging “Interesting” its evolution. A reasoning that from the Melonian inner circle leads above all to the Russian-Ukrainian question, on which Le Pen has modified the traditional pro-Russian line. But that could lead to something else.

In some ways it is Meloni himself, in that same response, who provides a further key to understanding: “I don't like handing out licenses“, says the FdI leader, recalling when the infamous brand of unpresentability hit her and her party, before being overwhelmed by the Italian vote in September 2022. And she explains it even better when she invites the European elites to deal with political parties who take 20-30% in large democratic countries: the path of demonization, Meloni seems to say, does not pay. And indeed both Le Pen and AfD continue to grow in the polls. Nothing, however, that suggests closer contacts or imminent attempts to bring the Lepenists on board ECR. The prospect appears more medium-term: Le Pen leads the polls, in 2027 he will run again for the presidential elections in which Macron he won't be able to run again and could even win: why join the chorus of demonizers?

On the other hand, Giorgia Meloni knows well the personal relationships between Marine Le Pen and Matteo Salvini and, despite the tensions of recent days, he has no intention of making his ally nervous today. Just as he has no intention – say those well informed on things in Brussels – of withdrawing from the link with another French party. This is “Reconquete”, founded by the journalist Eric Zemmour and led at the next European elections by Marion Marechal, Marine's niece from which it broke away a few months before the last presidential elections. Despite the competition from the right of RN, today Reconquete is given 7.5% in the polls, on a par with the historical Gaullists of the Republicain, and this would guarantee the Conservatives ECR – so far not represented in France – an additional patrol of 7-8 MEPs who would be very useful in the competition with the Salvini group of ID and the liberals of Renew.

According to the latest projections, in fact, these three groups should be fighting for the third step of the podium, behind Popular and Socialists, in the next European Parliament. Yes, the Populars. It is no mystery that Weber and his associates draw a red line on collaboration with ID, uniting both the AfD and the RN in a clear condemnation. And it is no mystery that Weber himself looks to Giorgia Meloni as a possible interlocutor for the European balance that will have to be built after the vote on 9 June. How can we keep the channel of dialogue open with the EPP and the establishment without digging a ditch to our own right? This will certainly be one of the themes of the electoral campaign, which Giorgia Meloni is very clear about and on which she does not want to grant competitive advantages to the League of Salvini.
Subscribe to the newsletter