Uncertain start for Salvini’s pan-european populist bloc

ITALY’S deputy prime minister will convene a meeting of Europe’s populist and nationalist parties on Monday in an attempt to build a bloc that can contest the European Parliament elections next month, but key figures from the far-right will be absent.

The meeting in Milan is being billed as the launch of a major election campaign by Matteo Salvini, head of the anti-immigration League party. The conference, themed “Towards a Europe of Common Sense”, will be held in a five-star hotel in Italy’s financial hub.

The aim is to build an alliance of likeminded parties that oppose immigration and further integration into EU institutions.

Mr Salvini, who has emerged as Italy’s most powerful politician since his election last year, is seeking to cast himself as the leader of a Eurosceptic grouping that includes the likes of Marine Le Pen, Viktor Orban and Germany’s AFD party.

But Ms Le Pen, the leader of France’s far-right National Rally, will not be attending. Nor will Mr Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, according to reports in the Hungarian press.

Mr Salvini has pledged to bring about a “new European spring” by working with nationalist parties across the continent.

His party has gone from strength to strength in Italy, doubling its support since the general election last March. The centre-right has won all five of the most recent regional elections.

The Five Star Movement, which has sharp policy differences with the League despite governing with the party in the national coalition, said the Milan conference was shaping up to be a failure.