Italian Interior Minister Mr Salvini is leader of the anti-immigration La Lega party and previously served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) until March 2018. His hard-line stance on topics such as immigration, corruption and EU budgets has seen him emerge as one of populist politics’ biggest players. But speaking at the Piazza del Popolo in mid-December, Mr Salvini addressed 80,000 Lega supporters and spoke of how he would aim to create a new populist movement at the heart of the European bloc.
According to Italian media, the Deputy Prime Minister received widespread cheer when he spoke about Brussels – and his desire to create a cross-member state alliance of populist parties at the heart of the European community.
Mr Salvini exclaimed: “We will give our blood for a new European community. We are doing everything to make Italy great again.”
The news comes as the parliament gears up for its elections in May, where 705 new MEPs will be elected to Brussels.
The MPs elected will decide on all important European laws and on the annual EU budget.
But the groups, as they are, so far have different approaches on certain issues.
Mr Salvini hopes to make his new group, comprised of 130 seats, the second strongest party in the European Parliament.
In addition, Salvini wants to play a greater role in the co-operation between EU governments, the so-called councils, through new alliances.
Brussels diplomatic circles therefore say that Europe could “change for the worse” because of the new power structures after the European elections take place.
Mr Salvini headed to Poland today to meet his counterpart Joachim Brudzinski and PiS (Law and Justice) leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski.
The two man are said to oppose the “muslimisation” of their countries and both want to bring more powers back from Brussels to the nation states.
So far, EU sceptics, right-wing populists and right-wing extremists are spread across three different groups: the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD), the European Conservatives and Reformers (ECR) and the Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF).
Together the three groups currently hold 150 seats.
Mr Salvini wants to lay the foundation for a new alliance between PiS and Lega Nord on Wednesday in Warsaw – potentially kickstarting momentum for other nation states to join the populist uprising.
As the two largest national delegations in the Parliament, Poland and Italy could lay the foundation for a new major Euro-critical populist movement.
It is also thought that PiS, as well as the ever-stronger Sweden Democrats and the Belgian N-VA, could join the Italian hardliner.
In addition, the French Rassemblement National (RN) of Marine Le Pen, with about 22 seats in the new European Parliament, could be added, as well as the Freedom Party (FPÖ) from Austria and possibly the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
The European People’s Party (EPP), whose top candidate is CSU Vice-President Manfred Weber, is expected to receive about 180 seats (minus 41), Sweden’s Social Democrats about 130 (minus 61) and the Liberals along with the La Republique en Marche (LREM) movement 110 seats (plus 43).
An absolute parliamentary majority of 353 votes is needed.
Additional reporting by Monika Pallenberg