Europe's far right leaders gather in Milan rally against immigration

Far-right leaders from Europe gathered in Milan Saturday for a rally attended by thousands against irregular immigration and Brussels bureaucracy, the first since the electoral defeat of nationalist Viktor Orban in Hungary. Supporters of the Patriots for Europe party, the third-largest bloc in the European Parliament, rallied in front of Milan's Duomo cathedral, separated by a significant police presence from a likewise thousands-strong rally by anti-fascist groups. Organiser Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy's nationalist League party, has deemed that "symbol of Christianity" ideal for the event billed as "Without Fear – in Europe, Masters in our Own Home!" France's Jordan Bardella and the Netherlands' Geert Wilders were in attendance at the invitation of Salvini, who is also deputy prime minister in the coalition government of Giorgia Meloni. Read more'Allies, not vassals': How Meloni's break with Trump became a political moment for Italy "Today, the tragedy we predicted has become a reality. Our people, the original inhabitants of Europe, have been hit by a tsunami of mass immigration, illegal immigration, mostly from Islamic countries," Wilders told supporters. But the Hungarians were conspicuous by their absence after Orban, one of the co-founders of the Patriots, was voted out of power after 16 years in a crushing election defeat to pro-EU opposition figure Peter Magyar. "Dear Viktor, you have defended the borders and fought human traffickers and arms traffickers. Let us all continue this fight together, for freedom and the rule of law," Salvini told the rally. Ahead of last week's election, the president of France's National Rally, Marine Le Pen, went to Budapest to try and shore up Orban, stressing that 2027 was shaping up to be "absolutely fundamental" for the far right. Major upcoming elections in France, Italy, Spain and Poland would give potential far-right winners "the means to radically change the course of the European Union from within", she said. Read moreFrance wary of MAGA influence as far right sets sights on 2027 elections "I've come here to Milan to reassure you: our victory in the upcoming presidential election is within reach. And we're getting ready to say goodbye to Macron," her lieutenant, Bardella, told Saturday's rally. Also on Saturday, progressives including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are set to gather in Barcelona. 'Faces uncovered' In line with Meloni, the League has also called for the EU to soften budget deficit rules due to the energy crisis triggered by the Middle East war. "We are going to address all the issues that are affecting European societies, in particular the issue of immigration and the ever-increasing regulations imposed by the European Commission and the European Union on European industry and on the economies of the eurozone," Bardella told journalists ahead of the rally. Farmers in tractors protesting against free trade agreements and motorcyclists opposed to traffic restrictions were to lead the way Saturday for a short march from eastern Milan to the Duomo. The far-right rally is also a show of force for the League in its stronghold of Lombardy and in Italy as a whole, at a time when it can count only on around six to eight percent of voting intentions, according to the latest polls. The League's popularity has been on a downward trajectory, scoring 17.4 percent in the 2018 elections and 8.8 percent in the last ones in 2022. Salvini's party is under pressure from the new "National Future" party founded by retired general Roberto Vannacci, who defected from the League in February and already has about three percent of voting intentions. Despite being the League's coalition partner in Meloni's government, Forza Italia is also planning an event for its Milan chapter, dedicated to the "social and civic engagement" of children of immigrants in Italy. (FRANCE 24 with AFP)