Salvini may run for European Commission presidency

Salvini said that the preparation of the Italian draft budget and the EU’s migration policy are keeping him busy, therefore no final decision has been made on his European Commission presidency candidacy. He revealed he has been actively discussing the latter with his Polish and Hungarian friends.

However, as with the Spitzenkandidaten principle, Salvini has little chance of winning. After the last elections in 2014, representatives of the major European political groups made it clear that only a nominee of the winning party gets their support for the president’s seat.

Earlier this month, Lega Nord leader announced a coalition with Marine Le Pen’s National Rally for the 2019 elections and named it Freedom Front. Salvini claimed he is expecting the EU to change significantly. In many recent elections across Europe, nationalist parties succeed with their criticism towards the EU, including Salvini’s Lega, AfD in Germany, FPÖ in Austria, Sweden Democrats and Orbán’s Fidesz.