Opinion: A Meloni victory in Italy would be the first defeat of globalism in Western Europe

By Javier Torres

(Opinion) Diplomat Mario Crespo believes that the political cycle that would open up in Europe if Giorgia Meloni wins in Italy on Sunday would lead to alliances of ideas and interests rather than geographical alliances between nations.

In that case, he notes, “European values” will no longer serve as the main key to building the Europe of the future.

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This is the scenario in which the new right is on the rise.

In Poland (PiS) and especially in Hungary (Fidesz), they not only govern but are also paving the way for other forces on the continent.

Just this month, Sweden confirmed the paradigm shift with the victory of right-wing parties and the 20 percent of the vote for the Sweden Democrats, the party of Jimmie Akesson, which came in second ahead of the more centrist Conservative Party.

This Sunday could accelerate that process, or that reactionary turn that began in the West with Brexit and Donald Trump’s victory.

The polls are favorable, triggering hysteria here and there among Mediterranean progressives who fantasize about the return of Mussolini and the headlines that have been written for decades: “New March on Rome.”

On Friday morning, Ángeles Barceló distributed plasters on the SER radio station against the advance of fascism.

“The fact that for the first time a woman is in charge in Italy (surprise!) does not strengthen official feminism, because Meloni is a woman, but not so much.”

“It is paradoxical that it has taken so long in Italy for a woman to become prime minister, and that now it will be a woman who continues Mussolini’s policies.”

That same Friday evening, Vicente Vallés opened Antena 3’s news program by asserting that “European governments and Brussels are holding their breath at the possibility that the populist extreme right will win the elections in Italy.”

But the cordons and the ridiculous anti-fascist warnings about imaginary blackshirts are having less and less effect, as we see in Spain from election to election.

The ideological playing field has widened, making it possible to discuss issues that the system thought had been written off. One of these issues is climate change and energy sovereignty.

The European crisis means that the average citizen, crushed by electricity and gas bills, is not paying attention to ideological obsessions, but to what he needs to eat.

In this context, it seems unlikely that the potential noise of a Fratelli d’Italia victory will dampen expectations for similar parties in other countries.

If a domino effect were to occur, it would only be logical to repeat it in a country with a similar culture.

This is where Spain comes in, whose partner is VOX, with which it shares a seat in the European Parliament in the ECR party.

(Von der Leyen threatens Italy with ‘Hungarian treatment’ if it does not vote as she wants)

Ideologically, Meloni is more than 90% in line with Abascal’s party, from which she took ideas such as the fight against climate fanaticism, which until then had gone unchallenged in Italy.

Another major commonality is opposition to illegal immigration.

So if Meloni were to win, Spain would find in her an ally for defending its southern border. And that would open up two possible scenarios.

If the Spanish government maintained an open-door policy, the Iberian Peninsula will receive even more immigrants because of the Italian veto.

The second possibility is that the Italian fight against immigration will gain influence in the European institutions and Spanish territory will be more protected.

In short, Brussels will cause quite a stir if the Italians decide in favor of Meloni.

But without causing too much of it, or at least just enough, since the European People’s Party itself had no choice but to rubber-stamp Forza Italia’s pact with Fratelli and the League.

If Meloni were to win, the earthquake would not be as great as if Le Pen were to move into the Elysée Palace.

If the Italian wins, she will do so hand in hand with Salvini and Berlusconi. In other words, she will not be able to implement her entire program.

In perspective, however, this would be the first defeat of globalism in Western Europe.

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