France's extreme right Front
National "did not lose" in the second round of voting in
regional elections on Sunday despite failing to take any
regions, anti-immigrant and anti-Europe Northern League chief
Matteo Salvini said Monday.
"It is still the biggest party in France, it has 40% of the
vote," Salvini said.
Other parties on the right gave a different interpretation
of the results.
"Some of the issues that fuelled consensus for the Front
National are inevitably part of the agenda of all leading
political forces in Europe," Senator Maurizio Gasparri of the
center-right Forza Italia (FI) said.
"While the issues Le Pen tackled cannot be ignored, the
solutions need to be presented with greater balance and
maturity," he said.
"This is why the centre-right and not just the right is
necessary".
His comments came on the heels of a call from FI leader and
ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi for "unity" on the right in view of
local elections next year.
"We're certain that Silvio Berlusconi will soon increase
the consensus for the coalition to over 40%, shifting the axis
of this alliance towards moderate positions," said FI House whip
Renato Brunetta.
Center-left Premier Matteo Renzi's Italicum electoral bill
sets a 40% threshold for winning the majority premium in the
Lower House in the first round of voting.
However, it currently applies to a single party list, not
to a coalition.
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