Towards a “League of European leagues”? Matteo Salvini’s European designs

Author: Aziliz Gouez, Visiting Fellow, IIEA

This briefing examines the rise to power of the Lega, and in particular, Matteo Salvini’s campaign to construct an axis of power and influence in the EU that will rival the “Macron-Merkel axis”. The briefing traces the evolution of the Lega from a regional, to a national, and now to a European force and assesses its relations with its partners in France, Poland and Hungary. While there is much that unites these forces that may ultimately lead to the construction of a cohesive blocking minority in the European Parliament, the briefing argues that there are also a number of considerable stumbling blocks to overcome should the alliance wish to be able to put forward a common platform of ideas.