Italian voters were called to the ballot box on the 4^th of March to elect a new parliament. The centre-right coalition, led by Lega with Matteo Salvini MEP, made huge gains and got the popular support of 37% of the voters for the chamber of deputies thus becoming the largest coalition in parliament. The Lega party got an astonishing 17.6% of the vote and thereby more than quadrupled the score in comparison to the 2013 elections.

 ‘It is an extraordinary victory that fills us with pride, joy and responsibility. Millions of Italians have asked us to take this country by the hand and free it from instability and insecurity. I see it as a vote for the future after five years of left-wing government. The vote at the Lega is for another kind of Europe, we are in Europe and we want a Europe that does few things and does it well, however, that recognizes people’s identity.’ Said Matteo Salvini MEP.

Harald Vilimsky MEP, whose Austrian FPÖ party has taken up governmental responsibilities after a major electoral victory adds: ‘The phenomenal success of the Lega will increase pressure on the EU to consider a course of reform, especially with regard to protect the external borders. It is necessary that the EU should no longer stick her head in the sand!’

Co-president Nicolas Bay MEP: ‘Our ENF group is changing in dimension. All across Europe voters are expressing their rejection of the EU in its actual management and direction. The European people are not against Europe, but they want another Europe, a Europe of cooperation between nation-states.’

Co-president Marcel De Graaff MEP: ‘The vast majority of the people in the member states of the EU reject the migration policy of Merkel and Juncker. The decision of the Italian voters must lead to the creation of a government which gives Italy back to the Italians.’