This piece in the European Conservative, where Le Pen refuses to identify with Giorgie Meloni is fantastic, both for France and for Italy. Marine Le Pen has had to learn difficult lessons after the loss of the last French presidential election, and we are happy to see that she has.
Meloni, elected because the Italian people were frankly out of other mainstream options, continues to stand in stark opposition to the desire of the Italian people on migration, the EU and the war in Ukraine.
The Meloni government is busy establishing plans to import vast numbers of agricultural and Tunisian workers, and continues to provide massive support to war in Ukraine, despite 40% of Italians not wishing to be involved in the conflict.
Meloni has said she is willing to risk unpopularity over the war in Ukraine, a hit she has had to take, as her approval rating has now fallen to 48%, from a peak of 54% at the beginning of March.
Le Pen already experienced the sting of attempting a conservative run when her party suffered miserably in the 2021 regional elections, losing 8% of the vote. Le Pen’s response to this unpopularity was much like Meloni’s, to double down and refuse to change strategy in the face of a revolt from her base.
We continue to believe Le Pen would have won the French presidential election had she not left herself open to being outflanked by Zemmour, something which she corrected too late in the campaign to recover from.
Now nationalists leaders all over Europe need to learn from the mistakes of the past.
Le Pen appears to have done just that by refusing to identify with Meloni.
63% of the French believe in the Great Replacement. The French media, academic and cultural classes even have notable personalities talking about it.
Le Pen is now the favourite to win the next French presidential election. Madam Le Pen has even overtaken the incumbent president (who cannot run again) in the last two consecutive second round polls.