League rallies at Pontida, Vannacci, Wilders, Orban star

Patriots for Europe figures wow crowd, defend Salvini

By: ansa.it

Oct 06 2024
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League rallies at Pontida, Van

The rightwing League party held its annual rally at its spiritual home of Pontida in northern Italy Sunday with MEP and suspended army general Roberto Vannacci and Hungarian strongman Viktor Orban among the stars.
    Vannacci, a former paratrooper who became a bestselling writer with his controversial book The World Upside Down, said 'I didn't expect so much affection." Activists shouted slogans for the League's pet policy of 'differentiated autonomy', which has been accused of worsening the north-south gap in Italy, and chanted in defense of leader Matteo Salvini, the deputy premier and transport minister, who risks six years in prison on charges of kidnapping migrants at Lampedusa as part of his controversial closed ports policy while interior minister in 2018-19.
    "Italy is not one only" and "hands off Salvini, defending national borders is not a crime," were some of the slogans displayed on banners and chanted by Leaguers.
    There was a palpable sense of anticipation for Orban, while Marine Le Pen, last year's star, sent a video message.
    The Hungarian premier told an enthusiastic audience of Leaguers: "We in Hungary celebrate Salvini as a hero because he closed the borders and defended the homes of Italians.
    "Indeed, he also defended Europe and deserves an honor and not a judicial proceeding. The one underway is a disgrace".
    Also featuring on stage were the other parties that, led by Orban, have merged into the Patriots for Europe caucus, distancing themselves not only from the centre-right European People's Party, but above all from the Conservatives of Giorgia Meloni: from the spokesperson of Vox of Spain, Jose Antonio Fuster, to the ruling Dutchman Geert Widers, from the Portuguese Andrè Ventura of Chega to the Austrian Marlene Svazek of the FPO Freedom Party, which just won the elections in Vienna.
    Wilders told a wildly cheering crowd from the stage: "Today is the time to make a new oath in Pontida: all European patriots will stand by their leader Matteo Salvini. No one will stop us, they tried to stop me in the Netherlands but they failed and I am stronger than ever. They tried to stop Salvini but they will not succeed, he will be stronger than ever".
    Then he added that "patriotism is a virtue and Salvini is a virtuous man" for the battle against "the tsunami of mass illegal immigration that makes us foreigners in our own home".
    And addressing directly the secretary of the League who was listening to him near the stage, Wilders added: "Matteo, everyone who is here loves you. When you are in court you will be our hero. We are with you, that's why we are here long live Matteo Salvini, go your own way, follow your path, we will never abandon you, you will never be alone".
    Fuster, the Vox spokesman, also drew loud applause when he said, in Italian: "European patriots look here, to the Pontida meadow, as a renewed example of resistance and hope in times of ferocious enemies." Fuster also joked at the beginning of his speech about his physical resemblance to Salvini.
    "Many confuse me with the 'Captain' but for him you will have to wait a little longer," he said.
    "We have won and we will win but only if we stay together," he added and concluded: "On behalf of the Spanish people, I say to you: Forward without fear of anything or anyone." Svazek, also speaking in Italian, said: "Is this the Europe we want? A Europe that betrays and abandons its own culture and identity? Nooo, I would like to tell the story of a strong Europe, with its roots and capable of making clear decisions like Matteo Salvini did, putting the security of his country above the party and defending the values ;;of Europe".
    Ventura, of Portugal's Chega, told the crowd: "Matteo Salvini is persecuted because he continues to believe that this country must be protected. We all must defend it" and "we need more Salvinis, throughout Europe".