Meloni looks to bridge gap between EPP and Patriots

Italian Prime Minister and European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) leader Giorgia Meloni appears to be bridging the gap between the European People’s Party (EPP) group and the far-right Patriots for Europe group, as representatives from both have been invited to a three-day convention in Dubrovnik.

The conference in Dubrovnik, which will take place from 18 to 20 October and focus on family issues, is expected to be attended by representatives of the ECR, the EPP, and the Patriots, depending on whether they accept the invitations.

In Italy, Meloni's ECR heads a coalition government with Matteo Salvini’s Lega (Patriots for Europe) and Antonio Tajani’s Forza Italia (EPP) - an alliance she seems eager to replicate at the EU level.

At the same time, Meloni has maintained a strong alliance with the Patriots' founder, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and the EPP through Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani and party leader Manfred Weber, who recently pushed for the Italian choice to have a prominent role in the European Commission, even though the ECR is not part of the pro-European majority.

Rafaelle Fitto (ECR) will have the relatively high-profile role of executive vice president if he survives the MEP grilling unscathed.

Sources from Meloni's Fratelli d'Italia expect the presence of Kinga Gal, vice-president of the Patriots group, and Zsófia Koncz, Hungary's secretary of state for family affairs, La Repubblica reported.

However, Salvini's Lega told Euractiv Italy that it would not participate, as Salvini is due to appear in court in Palermo simultaneously for the Open Arms case.

It is still unclear whether the EPP will accept the invitation, although its strong representation in the European Parliament would be crucial for Meloni's plans.

If they do, the ECR hopes they will send a leading figure or a Commissioner, possibly the Commissioner for Democracy and Demography, Dubravka Šuica, as she is Croatian and has a portfolio closely linked to the Convention's theme: family.

The convention in Croatia will also serve as a platform for intensified discussions on the leadership of the conservatives.

Meloni has announced her intention to step down as leader of the ECR, with former Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki emerging as a likely successor.

However, this potential shift could cause friction with the EPP, as Morawiecki's main rival is current Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a key member of the EPP.

(Alessia Peretti | Euractiv.it)