Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called on right-wing parties across Europe to build alliances at home in order to bring Conservative governments to power at the European level.
“We must clearly convey the message that we are ready, everywhere in the world, to take on the responsibility of governing. In some cases, such as in Italy, this has already occurred. We are ready and capable of doing it,” she said, speaking at an event organised by MEP Marion Maréchal, leader of the Identity and Liberty movement, on September 20.
“We need Conservative governments by our side to shift Europe to the Right. The only way to reach this goal is to build alliances — from Rome to Brussels, passing through Paris and Madrid.
“This is the unity of the Right and the centre-right, which Marion Maréchal has long supported,” she added.
In her speech, Meloni also expressed hope that French right-wing parties could soon find common ground.
“I hope that one day this can also happen in France, to finally offer millions of French people a strong and credible governing alternative. But that will depend on you,” she said.
France is currently embroiled in a political crisis and many believe that, in the next national election, the Right could win. At the same time, unity among French Conservative forces remains elusive.
Earlier in September, French right-wing MEP Sarah Knafo said she was in favour of such a movement to “make France great again”.
“We know that the only solution is for the Right to unite. Voters understand this. We are ready to work with others,” she said on September 2.
Yet the Republicans, France’s main Liberal-Conservative party, shows little interest in joining forces with the other right-wing parties.
For now, it continues to co-operate with President Emmanuel Macron’s liberalist Renaissance party. Its President, Bruno Retailleau, is Macron’s interior minister.
Emmanuelle Brisson, a former member of the Republican Party’s youth wing, criticised the party line: “At the back-to-school event, we’re inviting Maud Brégeon, an MP from Renaissance. What’s next, Édouard Philippe as guest star?” she said, referring to Macron’s former prime minister.
Brisson quit earlier September after the leadership scrapped internal elections, giving Retailleau the power to appoint the head of the party’s youth wing.
Meanwhile, ex-party president Éric Ciotti, who was ousted last year after backing an alliance with the National Rally, still faces an uphill battle. More than a year on, his push for a right-wing union has yet to win over the Republicans.
