Several thousand supporters of Europe's far-right parties gathered in Milan on Saturday for a major rally organised under the banner "Without Fear – in Europe, Masters in our Own Home!", with prominent nationalist figures from across the continent using the platform to denounce irregular immigration and European Union regulations.
Patriots for Europe Take Centre Stage
The event, held in front of Milan's iconic Duomo cathedral, was organised by Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy's League party and deputy prime minister in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition government. Salvini's party is a leading force within Patriots for Europe, currently the third-largest bloc in the European Parliament. A heavy police presence separated the far-right gathering from a rival anti-fascist demonstration of comparable size that took place nearby.
French National Rally president Jordan Bardella and Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders were among the foreign guests at Salvini's invitation. Wilders used his address to the crowd to paint a bleak picture of demographic change on the continent.
"Today, the tragedy we predicted has become a reality. Our people, the original inhabitants of Europe, have been hit by a tsunami of mass immigration, illegal immigration, mostly from Islamic countries," Wilders told the rally.
Hungary's Absence Looms Large
The gathering took place in the shadow of a significant political setback for the movement. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, one of the co-founders of Patriots for Europe, was voted out of office after 16 years in power, losing to pro-European Union opposition leader Péter Magyar. The Hungarians were notably absent from Saturday's event.
Salvini nonetheless offered a show of solidarity with the defeated Hungarian leader, telling the rally: "Dear Viktor, you have defended the borders and fought human traffickers and arms traffickers. Let us all continue this fight together, for freedom and the rule of law."
French Far Right Eyes 2027 Presidential Election
Bardella used his appearance at the Milan rally to fire up supporters ahead of France's 2027 presidential election, in which the National Rally is positioning itself as the leading challenger to the political establishment.
"I've come here to Milan to reassure you: our victory in the upcoming presidential election is within reach. And we're getting ready to say goodbye to Macron," Bardella told the crowd.
Prior to last week's Hungarian election, National Rally leader Marine Le Pen travelled to Budapest to express support for Orbán, warning that 2027 would be "absolutely fundamental" for the European far right and that major elections across France, Italy, Spain and Poland could give nationalist parties "the means to radically change the course of the European Union from within."
Economic Grievances and League's Declining Fortunes
Beyond immigration, speakers at the rally called on the EU to ease budget deficit rules, citing the energy crisis linked to conflict in the Middle East. Bardella told journalists ahead of the event that the rally would address "immigration and the ever-increasing regulations imposed by the European Commission and the European Union on European industry."
The Milan rally also served as a show of force for the League on its home turf in the Lombardy region. However, the party is polling at only six to eight percent nationally — a steep fall from 17.4 percent in the 2018 elections and 8.8 percent in 2022. The League faces additional pressure from the newly founded "National Future" party, established by retired general Roberto Vannacci after he defected from the League in February.
Meanwhile, on the same day, progressive leaders including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva convened in Barcelona for a counter-gathering representing the political left.
