Key facts
- Nicola Procaccini, an ally of Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, urged the EU to work with Marine Le Pen if she wins the French election.
- Procaccini believes Le Pen and Jordan Bardella are pragmatic and will not take extreme actions like leaving the EU.
- EPP vice chair Sigfried Mureșan warned that France under Le Pen would radicalize its anti-European stance.
- Procaccini welcomed National Rally’s proposal to reduce EU budget contributions.
- Procaccini criticized the EPP’s refusal to engage with the Patriots group as anti-democratic.
Nicola Procaccini, a key ally of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has called on EU institutions and the center-right European People’s Party (EPP) to be prepared to work with Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's far-right National Rally party, should she win the upcoming French presidential election. Procaccini expressed optimism that Le Pen and her likely prime minister, Jordan Bardella, are pragmatic individuals who will defend France's national interests without resorting to extreme measures such as withdrawing from the European Union.
Procaccini, who leads the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, drew parallels to the approach taken after Meloni's victory in Italy in 2022, suggesting that a similar effort should be made to integrate Le Pen's potential government into the EU's framework. He stated that a "cordon sanitaire" against the French Republic is not feasible and hoped Le Pen would adopt a "pragmatic, frank, open, honest and coherent" approach similar to Meloni's.
However, not all within the EPP share this view. EPP vice chair Sigfried Mureșan voiced concerns that under Le Pen's leadership, France's anti-European party would become more radicalized. The ECR group, which includes Meloni's Brothers of Italy party, could gain an ally in the European Parliament if Le Pen wins, potentially aiding their efforts to push a more Eurosceptic agenda. Procaccini specifically welcomed the National Rally's proposal to reduce France's EU budget contribution, aligning with his group's skepticism of a large EU budget.
The EPP has increasingly relied on votes from right-wing parties in the European Parliament to pass legislation, particularly concerning environmental regulations and migration policy. While EPP chief Manfred Weber has outlined red lines for cooperation, including being pro-European and supporting the rule of law, Procaccini criticized the EPP's reluctance to formally engage with the Patriots group as anti-democratic. He suggested that ECR lawmakers sometimes act as informal mediators between the Patriots and the EPP, facilitating negotiations.