The victory of the right-wing parties in Italy, France and the UK is just the first step towards changing EU rules and policies, according to Italian journalist Daniele Pozzati, who shared his vision on opportunities and obstacles in the way of the political right in the European Parliament.
“A new Europe has been born, founded on work, freedom, people and rights,” Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini stated following the League’s Sunday victory in the European Parliament elections in Italy.
The Italian journalist pointed out that Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party, as well as the Alternative for Germany and various right-wing parties from smaller countries such as Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark might join Salvini’s new bloc.
At the same time, the European Parliament establishment parties’ dominance has been shattered. As a result of the elections, two big centre blocs, the European People’s Party (EPP) and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) lost their combined majority due to the rise of the Right and liberals.
According to Pozzati, two major forces, the Greens and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) would think twice before joining the establishment coalition.
“The Greens have not joined the German ruling coalition,” the journalist noted. “Partly because their — admittedly somewhat utopian — economic policy is not in line with the austerity-enforcing ‘Grosse Koalition’ [grand coalition] — and hence, of the EU. So, it would be surprising to see the Greens join the European old establishment alliance (EPP+S&D) so soon.”
Meanwhile, ex-White House strategist Steve Bannon predicted that European integration is “dead in its tracks” after right-wing parties in Italy, France and Britain won the European election.
Pozzati drew parallels between Bannon and Salvini’s visions, stressing that the League’s leader “does not intend — never really intended — to leave the EU”. According to the Italian commentator, Salvini aims to create a “more perfect European Union”.
“[Salvini] believes the EU can, and should be, reformed”, the journalist said. “By a ‘New Europe’, he means one that abandons its pro-immigration stance, that moves beyond austerity in economic policy, that gives back its member states some of the autonomy they have lost during the European integration process”.
According to Pozzati, “Bannon’s attitude couldn’t be more different — his attitude is, at once, more realistic and cynical”.
However, the commentator believes that “in the short to medium term no dissolution of the bloc is forthcoming”.
“The EU is not simply a bloc: it is the expression of a supra-national, transatlantic establishment”, he explained. “To demolish the EU, you need to at least weaken the establishment of which the EU is the expression. Trump’s election was a step in this direction.”
Nevertheless, regardless of Trump’s hailing the UK’s Brexit and snubbing the bloc by temporarily lowering the EU’s diplomatic status from that of a country to that of an international entity last January, the US needs the EU as it is far more convenient for Washington to keep controlling Europe “via a single, easily influenceable organisation”, Pozzati concluded.