2024-07-12 07:25:01
The partner of Meloni Viktor Orban of Hungary has hunted some of his supporters in the European Parliament, and the National Rally (RN) far away. suffered a humbling election in France.
However, Italy’s most right-wing leader since the end of World War II may still have cards to play, analysts say.
READ ALSO: What does Meloni’s EU election success mean for foreigners in Italy?
Since coming to power in October 2022, he has abandoned his Euroscepticism and fallen in line with many EU leaders by supporting Ukraine’s turn in its fight against Russia.
And he has collaborated with European Council President Ursula von der Leyen, helping calm nerves in Brussels.
But recent events, especially the formation of a new party within the European Parliament founded by Orban, are now causing serious problems for Meloni, political watchers say.
Add to the surprising defeat of Marine Le Pen’s RN in the French parliamentary elections on Sunday, and the victory of the Labor-left in Britain, and the week for Meloni “is certainly not good”, wrote La Stampa daily.
Meloni was fresh in June when the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament accepted new members to become the third largest party.
He was displaced from the party linked to Emmanuel Macron of France – with whom he had a cold relationship.
READ ALSO: Italy’s hard-right government demands the EU’s top commission
But the success turned sour on Monday when Orban’s Patriots for Europe group won the ECR as it gathered parties – not only France’s RN but also Spain’s Vox from Meloni’s camp.
“It’s bad news in terms of numbers but more importantly it’s bad news because they’ve stolen the limelight,” Daniele Albertazzi, professor of politics at the University of Surrey, told AFP.
“They’ve really shaken up the idea in the last week or two, they’ve managed to bring in big teams.”
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Political analyst Anna Bonalume said the Vox defect “shows to what extent Giorgia Meloni has been weakened by this series of European events”.
Also, Orban made a surprise visit to Moscow last week that has been heavily criticized by Ukraine’s Western allies.
This could add to the strained relations with Meloni, who has taken sides in Brussels in the past for withdrawing commitments from the Hungarian leader.
“If, following Orban’s visit to Moscow, there is a major break with Orban, Meloni will be completely isolated in Europe,” Bonalume told AFP.
Another potential candidate emerged on Thursday with the formation of a new far-right party, Europe of Sovereign Nations, led by the Alternative for Germany (AfD), fresh off the EU election result that best ever
‘play a game’
The French vote will not please Meloni.
Italian media reported that he had relied on Macron’s defeat to help negotiate an influential role for Italy within the next European Council, after being separated last month when leaders chose senior positions.
“But the bet didn’t work,” wrote La Repubblica newspaper.
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On Tuesday, Meloni sought to put a positive spin on recent events, saying that unstable governments are a permanent fixture in Italy, in contrast to the stability enjoyed by its neighbors.
“Today we see an Italy with a very strong government in Europe in which governments are unstable and this must make us proud,” he said on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Washington.
READ ALSO: Italy’s Meloni hopes the EU ‘understands the message’ from voters
Despite the acknowledged strength of the Italian government, the leader of the populist League, Matteo Salvini, continues to provoke his coalition partner Meloni without attacking him directly, who joined Orban’s party and called “the decision to change the future of this Europe” .
But Meloni, as the leader of the EU’s third largest economy, has the ability to turn recent setbacks to his advantage, Albertazzi said.
“It depends on how you play,” he said.
“It’s not all bad news because it also helps Meloni to strengthen his own statement, which is ‘I am the right and the right of origin’.”
And if Meloni manages to secure the high commission role for Italy, he could show that he still has influence in Brussels.
“You’ll be able to say, ‘People over there make noise but I’m the one who’s bringing some change.'”
By AFP’s Ella Ide
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