The recent decision by Matteo Salvini's far-right League party to join Viktor Orbán's new bloc "Patriots for Europe," has raised a few eyebrows in Italy and with that, the question of whether Italy’s current ruling coalition will hold.
The group not only now ranks as the EU Parliament’s third largest, overtaking the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), but Spain’s Vox party has also left the group led by Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Reports in the Italian media suggest Salvini’s move didn’t go down well with Meloni, describing her as even more isolated. Back home, she now has to deal with an ally (Salvini) who has teamed up with a political group that has opposite views on the EU’s support for Ukraine and NATO.
On the other hand, her ambiguous support for Ursula Von Der Leyen also risks straining her relationship with Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, who leads Forza Italia, a party aligned with the European People's Party (EPP) group in the EU Parliament.
'New affiliation is an opportunity not an obstacle'
For now, Italy’s PM has chosen to stay low-profile, and Brothers of Italy told Euronews they are not making any statements on the issue. So we put the question directly to the League party.
According to Paolo Borchia, Head of Lega at the EU Parliament, the party’s recent affiliation with Patriots for Europe poses no risks to the stability of the Italian government.
“There is nothing wrong in having different opinions on certain European issues among right-wing parties,” Borchia said.
“On the contrary, it’s an enriching opportunity rather than an obstacle. This government has earned the trust of the Italian people, and it’s only fair that it continues to do its job. When it comes to European dynamics, these will have repercussions that will not destabilize the government.” he told Euronews.
Forza Italia, while reiterating its support for the government recently bolstered by the EU vote, believes Orbán's new political group won’t be as impactful.
"As explained by the leader of Forza Italia, Tajani, Patriots for Europe’s role will be irrelevant in the next EU parliament,” says MP Alessandro Battilocchio, adding that the government remains stable and committed to delivering on the main political promises.
Addressing divisive issues such as the war in Ukraine, Borchia highlighted the importance of distinguishing between goals and methods. He asserted that the League has consistently found common ground with coalition partners on the government’s EU-related approaches to the conflict. “There can be differences,” he explained, “in the approaches and the ways used to end the conflict.”
'Salvini cannot challenge Meloni'
Political analyst and Professor Lorenzo Castellani of Luiss University in Rome suggests Salvini lacks the political leverage to significantly challenge Meloni’s leadership or incite a government crisis.
Castellani remarked, “He hasn’t got enough power to undermine either Giorgia Meloni’s leadership or enough electoral support to trigger snap elections or a government crisis.”
With the emergence of Patriots for Europe, Castellani believes Meloni faces a critical decision regarding her alignment within the European political landscape. However, the main issue remains Meloni's support for Von Der Leyen. Borchia criticised this stance, saying, “She doesn’t deserve all this credit,” and questioning the voters' understanding of Meloni’s sudden change in attitude towards the EU president.
