Giorgia Meloni announced her candidacy for the European Parliament elections: “Let’s send the left to the opposition”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that she will run for the European elections in June at the “Italy changes Europe” conference on Sunday. Meloni will open the list in the European Parliament in an attempt to increase the chances of her party Brothers of Italy, for more seats in the European Parliament, but if she is elected, she will give up her seat.

The vote for the European Parliament, from June 6-9, is a key test for Georgia Meloni’s right-wing coalition, which was formed 18 months ago, writes Reuters.

“We want to do in Europe what we did in Italy … to create a majority that brings together the centre-right forces and send the left into opposition,” Meloni told party members attending the conference in the city coastal Pescara, where he launched his electoral campaign for a seat in the EP.

Meloni, whose party traces its roots to Benito Mussolini’s fascist group, called for Italy to leave the euro zone when he was in opposition, and his election in 2022 has raised concerns in some European capitals.

However, Meloni took a broadly pro-European line, particularly on foreign policy issues such as Ukraine and the Middle East.

Her party is the most popular in Italy, with 27 percent of support, according to recent polls, ahead of the opposition Democratic Party (PD) with around 20 percent and the left-wing 5 Star Movement with 16 percent.

Meloni will be the first name on the ballot for Brothers of Italy in all five of Italy’s constituencies in the EU election, but has vowed not to use “a single minute” of his time as prime minister on the campaign.

PD leader Elly Schlein announced last week that she would also run, as did Antonio Tajani, head of the centrist Forza Italia party, which is part of the ruling coalition.

All three leaders are hoping to win votes from people who have little interest in politics but are drawn to the names of party bosses on the ballot.

Assuming they are elected, Meloni, Schlein and Tajani are expected to relinquish their seats, making room for the candidates who will rank behind them.

Publisher: MI