The future of the EU

Sources: Meloni worried about Le Pen victory in France

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is concerned that Marine Le Pen and her far-right National Rally party look set to win the second round of Sunday's French election, sources told Bloomberg.

The sources, who have good insight into Meloni's day-to-day work, state that the prime minister is aware that her position as the conservative leader of all of Europe is under threat.

She is also worried that National Assembly's progress could mean that Italy's EU-sceptic right-wing Lega party and party leader Matteo Salvini, who is close to Marine Le Pen, will gain wind in their sails.

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Orbán's new party group could become the third largest in the EU

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's new party group Patriots of Europe is attracting more and more parties. The far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders said on Friday that his PPV party wants to join the new alliance, writes AFP.

At the same time, the Spanish radical right-wing party Vox announced that it is leaving the ECR party group to cooperate with the Patriots of Europe. The Danish People's Party also states that it will become part of Orbán's party group.

Sources tell Euractiv that Marine Le Pen and her National Assembly are considering joining, which would mean Europe's patriots would become the third largest in the European Parliament. 

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Orbán's right-wing group recognized by the EU - gets Danish company

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's new party group in the European Parliament has brought together 23 parliamentarians from seven countries, thus crossing the threshold to be formally recognized by the parliament, reports AFP.

The right-wing nationalist group Patriots of Europe promises "a new era that will change European politics". In addition to the Austrian FPÖ and the Dutch PVV, the Danish People's Party also announced on Saturday that they were joining.

Orbán is now awaiting word on whether the French National Assembly will also join after Sunday's election. In that case, that would make the group the EU Parliament's third largest.