Far-right European leaders gathered at a rally hosted by Italy’s far-right League party in Pontida, Italy. Matteo Salvini, the leader of The League and Italy’s deputy prime minister, was joined by notable guests such as Hungary’s far-right prime minister Viktor Orbán and Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders. Salvini is facing legal troubles due to his extreme anti-immigration stance as prosecutors in Sicily are seeking a six-year prison sentence for his decision to prevent a ship with over 100 migrants from landing in Lampedusa. A conviction could also see Salvini banned from holding government office.
During the rally, Salvini called for immigrants to lose their citizenship if they committed crimes and defended his anti-immigrant stance. He also blamed pro-Palestinian protesters and the left for clashes in Rome the day before. Orbán, the Hungarian prime minister, received a warm welcome at the rally and expressed his support for Salvini, praising him for closing borders and defending Europe. Orbán threatened to bring illegal immigrants to Brussels if the EU did not act and called for the occupation of Brussels to be taken away from bureaucrats.
Far-right leaders at the rally described Salvini as being “persecuted” and defended his actions. The president of France’s National Rally, Jordan Bardella, sent a video message acknowledging Salvini’s efforts to protect Italy’s borders. Andrè Ventura, of the Portuguese right-wing party Chega, also expressed support for Salvini, stating that he is being persecuted for trying to protect the country. Geert Wilders, the Dutch far-right leader, praised Salvini for his fight against mass illegal immigration and vowed to stand by him.
The rally in Pontida brought together far-right leaders from across Europe who showed solidarity with Salvini and his anti-immigration stance. The attendees praised Salvini for his efforts to protect borders and defend Europe, while also criticizing the left and pro-Palestinian protesters. Orbán’s threat to bring illegal immigrants to Brussels if the EU did not act highlighted the ongoing tensions within the European Union over immigration policies. Despite legal challenges, Salvini continues to receive support from his far-right counterparts as they call for Europe to be defended against mass illegal immigration.
