Revolutionary Patriots of Europe: The Most Intriguing Alternative
Marco Zanni, the politician of the Italian La Lega party and leader of the Identity and Democracy (ID) fraction in the European Parliament, recently spoke out about the Patriots for Europe (PfE) in an interview with the Italian daily, Corriere della Sera. He described PfE as the most compelling alternative in Europe, highlighting its role as a catalyst of discontent with the European institutional system.
Zanni criticized the European Union for ignoring the electorate’s demands and maintaining the status quo, stating that no change is happening in the EU and that the message from the electorate has gone unfulfilled. He emphasized that the party alliance initiated by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán aims to challenge the existing power structure, pointing out that the European institutions are losing their legitimacy because they were set up by losers.
The PfE aligns with the principles of ID and its predecessor, Europe of Nations and Freedoms (ENF), but will not be joined by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Zanni speculated on the potential move of Poland’s Law and Justice (PiS) party to the Patriots, as PiS is currently negotiating for better terms with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Matteo Salvini, the leader of La Lega, expressed support for the creation of a European patriotic party group, praising the initiative to involve as many parties as possible in building a different Europe. Salvini emphasized the need for a strong opposition to the current European direction, including Ursula von der Leyen’s leadership.
Both Zanni and Salvini underscored the significance of the Patriots for Europe as a movement against the EU’s current political landscape, seeking to unite conservative parties across Europe to form a formidable opposition. The formation of a strong patriotic group with close links to the Portuguese Chega party is a key goal for the PfE, with the aim of creating a cohesive and broad opposition to the current European direction.
