The Financial Times (FT) recently compared the three leading European far-right parties – Germany’s AfD, France’s National Coalition, and Italy’s Fratelli d’Italia. These groups, commonly referred to as the “hard-right” parties, share common characteristics such as strong nationalism, hostility towards immigrants and Islam, and authoritarianism.
One of the unique aspects of these parties is that they are led by women or have women as dominant figures. Alice Weidel heads the AfD in Germany, Marine Le Pen leads the National Alliance in France, and Giorgia Meloni is the prime minister of Italy and leader of Fratelli d’Italia. This stands out from other European countries where men predominantly lead these types of parties.
Despite their shared beliefs in nationalism, opposition to minorities, and adherence to traditional values concerning gender roles and family dynamics, these parties differ from those in other European countries. For example, Finland’s Basic Finns were not included in FT’s comparison. Additionally, Fratelli d’Italia stands out as the party of the Italian prime minister while France’s National Coalition and Germany’s AfD have distinct differences in their stances towards Russia.
The article delves into how each leader has varied opinions on EU positions. While Weidel has hinted at Germany potentially leaving the euro and the EU, Meloni and Le Pen have softened their criticism of the EU. Meloni has been vocal in criticizing the European Central Bank’s monetary policies while Le Pen has recently changed her views on Russia after being known for her pro-Russia stance. The AfD in Germany has faced criticism for alleged financial ties to Russia and China which created a scandal within the party.
As speculation arises about potential alliances during upcoming European elections, it is important to note that each party starts from different points. Fratelli d’Italia is part of ECR group while AFCD is part of ID group; there are rumors that National Coalition could potentially join ECR but Le Pen has not made any concrete statements on this matter yet.
In conclusion, while these three far-right parties share certain characteristics such as strong nationalism
