Far-right parties eye gains in next year’s EU parliament elections

European far-right parties met in Italy on Sunday vowing to reshape the European Union after next year’s European Parliament elections, toughening the bloc’s approach on immigration and softening its climate policies to protect jobs and industry.

“Our objective is for [us] to become at least the third-largest [group in the EU parliament], after the centre-right and the socialists, and to be decisive,” said Italian deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, who hosted the meeting.

Addressing the Florence rally via video link, Mr Wilders said he hoped his success, “a political earthquake in the Netherlands and Europe”, could be “the start of a wave of national election wins” for like-minded allies.

Jordan Bardella, president of Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party, won applause saying Europe cannot become a “five-star hostel for Africa”, and linking mass immigration to violence and crime.