Being critical of the European Union is not “Nazism, but an expression of freedom,” said Matteo Salvini, leader of the Italian League party. Salvini wrote about the alliance with Hungary and Poland in an open letter published in the Corriere della Sera on Thursday.
Matteo Salvini emphasized that Poland and Hungary are “full members of the Europe represented by the League, and criticism of the EU is not an expression of Nazism but an expression of freedom and democracy due to the defeat of totalitarian regimes.”
The leader of the League party wrote an open letter entitled “Our Allies Against European Strictness” in response to an editorial on Thursday on the relationship between European right-wing forces and populism.
Matteo Salvini believes that the largest Italian daily newspaper “breaks from reality” when it writes about Nazism and fascism concerning Poland and Hungary instead of focusing on unemployment, healthcare, poverty, tax policy, education, and justice.
“The Europe I love is free and democratic [..] and Hungary and its people, as well as Poland and its people, are full members of this Europe,” added Matteo Salvini.
Salvini also noted that Viktor Orbán’s party had been a member of the European People’s Party (EPP) for many years.
Title image: Italy’s League party leader Matteo Salvini. (AP Photo/ Gregorio Borgia)
