European vote could tip the balance on Meloni’s far-right agenda in Italy

By COLLEEN BARRY
Associated Press

MILAN (AP) — While Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni adopts a reassuring Western-allied foreign policy, cultural wars at home are preserving her far-right credentials heading into European Parliamentary elections. Her neo-fascist-rooted Brothers of Italy party is projected to secure significant gains in the polls, and a possible coalition role. In less than two years leading EU’s third-largest economy, Meloni has emerged as the most powerful far-right-wing leader in Europe. The position was underlined in May in a fiery speech to a Vox rally in Spain. She, along with French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, celebrated allies like Donald Trump. The European elections June 6-9 could begin to tip Meloni’s balancing act.