The first goal of the European
Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) caucus at the European
Parliament is to "defend our nations," ECR Chair and Italian
Premier Giorgia Meloni told the caucus in unveiling its
manifesto for the June 8-9 European elections in Strasbourg
Tuesday evening.
"Our first objective will be to defend our nations from attempts
to deprive them of their powers," she told a rally of the
conservative parties including Spain's Vox, Poland's Law and
Justice, Eric Zemmour's French Reconquete (Reconquest), the
Sweden Democrats, and the Finns Party, a group which is led by
Meloni's Brothers of Italy (FdI) party and is soon set to see
the arrival of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz
too.
"'Doing less, doing better' is our mantra.
"The principle of subsidiarity is our compass.
"It is this that makes Europe strong and united, an impressive
network of culture, economies, histories and opinions that make
us what we are".
The Meloni-led ECR is hoping to forge alliances to upset the
centre-left-centre-right-liberal coalition currently leading the
EU.
In this 9th European Parliament, the centre right and Christian
Democrat European People's Party (EPP), which features Italy's
post Berlusconi Forza Italia (FI), a domestic ally of Meloni's,
formed a coalition with the Progressive Alliance of Socialists
and Democrats and Renew Europe to elect Ursula von der Leyen as
president of the European Commission.
As well as Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani's
FI, the other Italian domestic coalition member is Deputy
Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini's League, which
belongs to the Identity and Freedom (ID) caucus at the EP along
with Marine Le Pen's Natonal Rally and Alternative for Germany.
Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said Wednesday that, while
he does not consider the European Union's new Stability and
Growth Pact ideal, it is a significant improvement on the EU's
old budget rules.
He was speaking after MEPs from the parties of the Italian
government's ruling coalition abstained in a vote in the
European Parliament on the Pact on Tuesday, as did those from
the opposition, centre-left Democratic Party (PD), while the
opposition 5-Star Movement (M5S) voted against.
The Pact was approved anyway.
"It's certainly a compromise. It's not the proposal that I had
taken to Europe," Giorgetti told the Lower House, where the
government's DEF economic blueprint is being examined.
"(But) it is a step forward with respect to the budget rules
that would have come back into force in 2025.
"This Stability and Growth Pact does not exactly respond to the
criteria of those who think that growth depends on the 'LSD'
model, that is laxity, subsidies and debt.
"I continue to think that the (right) growth model is the one
that made our country great in the post-War period via
sacrifice, investment and labour". The new pact gives countries
who are not respecting the budget rules seven years to bring
their debt and deficit levels down, up from four previously.
States are still required to bring their debts under 60% of GDP
and deficits under 3%.
Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Tajani said it would be
wrong to read too much into the decision to abstain on Tuesday.
"Abstaining does not mean you are against," said Tajani, the
leader of the post Berlusconi FI party.
"It means you are saying that this pact can be improved".
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