Von der Leyen says she can work with the Italian PM's hard-right party

Ursula von der Leyen said she's willing to work with MEPs from Giorgia Meloni’s hard-right Brothers of Italy party after the EU election in June.

Transcript

00:00 Unlike her recent TV appearance on Italian TV program "Che Tempo Che Fa", Ursula von der

00:05 Leyen clearly said on Thursday she`s willing to work with MEPs from Giorgio Meloni`s right-wing

00:10 Brothers of Italy party after the EU elections in June. Von der Leyen made this comment during

00:16 a Eurovision debate clarifying that the Italian prime minister meets three criteria for future

00:23 partners. She`s pro-EU, she`s against Russia`s Vladimir Putin and she`s for the rule of law.

00:29 But what should we make of it? Well, we put the question to one of the European University

00:34 Institute experts we met here in Florence at the Sol24 conference, who`s been following

00:40 the election campaign closely. Take a listen.

00:43 So she`s basically saying if individual MEPs agree with the common principle, which is

00:49 being pro-EU, pro-Ukraine and on the Atlantic side, then there might be space for collaboration

00:57 agreement. But I wouldn`t call for necessarily a huge reshuffling of the political forces

01:04 in the next EP. Also, because this sharp turn to the right, it`s something that some pundits

01:10 forecast, but then we have to see if really these two far right and Eurosceptic groups

01:15 will go ahead of a new Europe. So, some polls indicate so, some others do not. So, we have

01:21 to see.

01:22 Reports in the Italian media describe Wanderlain`s statement as a bold move, one that could

01:28 risk isolating her further from the EPP party.

01:32 Giorgia Orlandi for Euronews in Florence.

01:35 (whooshing)