Europe’s most prominent right wing figures gathered in the iconic capital of Tuscany on Sunday inside the walls of a 16th century fortress to fire the opening salvo of their EU-wide election campaign at a rally of the hardline Identity and Democracy Party (ID). Conservative members from all over the European continent traveled to Florence for the event as a way for elected members of the ID Party to show solidarity ahead of the 2024 European Parliament elections. The conference, hosted by Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, was a who’s who in the European conservative politic and showcased leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Portugal, Denmark, The Netherlands, Romania, Bulgaria, Austria and The Czech Republic.
“Today in Florence, men and women with common sense and courage have gathered to defeat an enemy that is Europe’s first enemy,” said Salvini, addressing the many attendees. “Those who want to destroy the identity of our continent.”
The values prioritized by the ID Party platform are democracy, sovereignty, identity, specificity (individual) freedoms, and culture. The party holds that European nations must have the right to control and regulate immigration and that this right is a fundamental principle in accordance with the preservation of the identity of the peoples and nations of Europe. It stresses an anti-bureaucracy, pro-nationalism, anti-environmentalism stance. The party promotes the importance of traditional family unit, heritage and Christianity and is an outspoken opponent of globalization, multiculturalism and many of the mandates that have found their way into EU law as a result of liberal dominance.
Europe has experienced a surge in nationalist and conservative support and the ID Party as well as the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) which has members such as Spain’s Vox party, share many views.
The ID Party is made up of leaders from many conservative groups from all over Europe. The Italian League and France’s Rassemblement National hold 28 seats and 11 seats in the European Parliament respectively making them the two dominant forces behind the movement which is experiencing a surge in support as Europe faces increasing political instability.
The conference kicked off with a video address from Marie Le Pen, former president and Parliamentary party leader for Rassemblement National (RN).
Addressing the gathered members, Le Pen said, “We face today a European Union that debases our history, that pushes our cultures downwards. The technocratic fog that has become the European Union does not recognize people as rich heirs of a millenary history, not as actors of social and environmental progress, but as commodities, as interchangeable, mobile, rootless and borderless consumers. The European Union has given us a true model of the annihilation of a people’s identity and their fuel is called immigration. At a time when the European Union is preparing to adopt the Immigration Pact that will take away the ability and competence of our nations to manage immigration, we must urgently mobilize in all the countries of Europe.”
Le Pen continued, “If we do nothing our nations will be consigned to a migratory conversion on an unprecedented scale in history. If we do nothing we will allow Brussels to rule at the expense of the lives of the people of Europe. We must act in order to return power to our own people and put an end to the persecution of our people through the Green Deal. We are movements of democratic and patriotic resistance facing a dominant bureaucracy. Faced with arbitrary power structures, the Florentine Niccolo Machiavelli had already warned us in the 16th century: the best fortress for tyrants is the inertia of the people. So full speed ahead, dear friends!”
Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of Bulgaria’s Vazrazhdane (Revival), touched on the necessity of solidarity amongst European nations saying, “Revival is faced with the very same hurdles you face. We have common opponents - those who are against the development of the traditional European civilization, those who are against strong nations and cultures in Europe. Dear friends, since we have common problems, since we have common enemies, it is absolutely mandatory that we take common action. Bulgaria’s national motto is ‘Unity makes strength.' It is required of all of us who are concerned for our common European home to do everything possible to preserve our civilization, our traditions, our Christian faith, our cultures and our languages without which Europe would not be Europe.”
Kostadinov went on to address the issue of immigration and its effect on Europe stating, “The greatest issue we all face is the demographic crisis. There is not one single European country which is not affected by this problem. The demographic crisis calls into question the very future of Europe. Thanks to the policies of the dominant anti-European elite, the native European population is simultaneously aging and declining and is gradually being replaced by African and Asian strangers.”
Finishing to roaring applause, the Bulgarian leader and member of ID said to the crowd, “Here, we are a group of dozens, but beyond us there are millions of Europeans who do not want to be guests in their own homes.”
Roman Fritz, the Vice President of the Confederation of the Polish Crown, spoke directly and with passion saying, “Our Latin civilization is based on three pillars: the Greek concept of Truth, Roman Law, and Christian values. Today, we see Truth being replaced with subjectivism. An example,” he continued, “Someone is a man but can present himself as a woman and even try to legally change his so-called gender. Let’s call a spade a spade! Reject political correctness! Call evil, evil! And set a good example for the younger generations!”
Fritz continued his address saying, “The law is being replaced by top down illogical regulations based on dominant left wing ideology. The Christian religion is being replaced by the pseudo-religion of climatism, environmentalism, and Marxism. The modern world has lost itself in a multitude of false signs, a kind of new speech and pseudo-science of the omnipresent ideology of sustainable development. What is the way out of chaos and confusion?” Fritz asked.
"If you are lost in the woods you must go back in order to find the right path again. And on the right path our true European values, time-honored, and noble customs await us. God, honor, homeland, faith, family, property, truth, dignity, justice and freedom - all of this can be summed up in one expression as the Catholic tradition. This is the essence of Latin civilization. Without a return to it, there will be no prosperity for our European nations. Courage!” Fritz exclaimed. “Let us go back to the roots - to the Latin heritage! God bless Europe, and God bless Italy!”
Martin Helme, leader of Estonia’s Eesti Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond, was optimistic and did not mince words when addressing his fellow ID Party members stating, “We are seeing the collapse of the liberal order happening in front of us and when I say liberal –it’s progressive, it’s left, it’s liberal, it’s all the same – it is evil and we have been fighting it all along. We have been proven right over and over again. We warned about the disaster that would come from destroying the natural family – now even the blind can see the destruction and misery it has brought. Even the most liberal and ignorant people cannot go along with the horrors being done to children under the banner of trans activism. The psychological and physical mutilation of young people is just too much.” He continued, “We were right when we said no to mass migration – it has caused death and destruction in every country of Europe where it has happened; senseless death of our countrymen and willful destruction of peaceful, well-functioning, culturally coherent and safe societies. Now only the most brainwashed and fanatical are still chanting ‘Diversity is our strength’.” Continuing, Helme proclaimed, “We have been proven right on the Green Deal. Net Zero is not about saving the planet – it is about taking your money and your freedoms. As the people are turning away from the miserably failed policies of the looney Left, they will more and more support us – The Normals. We are the normal nationalists. We are the normal conservatives, the normal sovereignists, the normal right-wingers. We are right to be hopeful – We are the only ones that have recognized the problems and the only ones that have the solutions!”
Tomio Okamura joined the list of ID Party members as the leader of Czech party Svaboda a prima demokracie. Speaking of the grave implications Europe faces as a result of the exponentially increasing rates of migration he said, “The redistribution of migrants does not solve the problem. Every illegal migrant accepted by Europe is an invitation for a million more from Africa and Asia. The only solution at this point is consistent protection of borders – we must defend our countries despite the Brussels bureaucracy which has supported those who smuggle illegal migrants for a long time. European nations must help one another against the invasion of illegal migrants, we must provide help at each other's attacked borders. Every boat with migrants at the border of Italian territorial waters must be turned back!”
Okamura continued to thunderous applause, “Anyone who tries to cross the border of the European Union illegally must know in advance that they will not have the right of asylum. It is also necessary to stop the Islamization of Europe. Protecting Europe from migrant invasions is not just a fight against migrants but a fight to save European culture and values.” The Czech leader evoked massive support from his fellow ID party members as he continued unapologetically, “Mass migration from African and Islamic countries will destroy Europe. It will destroy it economically, socially, and it will destroy European security. We must stop this by any possible means. Every nation has the right to its own culture. I refuse to be told by any foreigner how we should live in our own country. It doesn’t matter if they are bureaucrats from Brussels or maladaptive immigrants. We don’t want illegal migration, we don’t want a meaningless Green Deal and we don’t want censorship! We want freedom, democracy and a normal life! I refuse to allow us to feel unsafe in our own country! Every nation has a right to its land. Every nation and its citizens have the right to decide who they want in their country and who they don’t. We demand democracy not totalitarianism!”
Gerolf Annemans, leader of the Flemish group Vlaams Belang, posed a stark possibility to fellow ID members saying, “The next few years will decide upon the future of us all – on the entire continent. Will the continent end in slavery or a Big Brotherish Brave New World? Or will we prevail? My dear friends, we will prevail. That is why I call for unity. The answer is ours. Let us act together, stand united and change the regime!”
Hard right icon Geert Wilders, leader of the Netherlands’ Freedom Party also addressed attendees. Wilders is the latest in a slew of right wing wins sweeping across Western Europe, having just secured a first place finish in Dutch parliamentary elections.
Said Wilders, “My friends, last week we won the Dutch elections with 24% of the vote – a historic victory, a political earthquake in the Netherlands and Europe. We gave hope to millions of people because our message was clear: The Netherlands first. Stop asylum and mass immigration. No more billions of taxpayers money to leftist-liberal ideals. Use those billions to lower taxes of our people so they can pay their rent, groceries and utilities. My friends, we can achieve greatness for our people, for our nations and may winning the national elections in the Netherlands be the start of a wave of national election wins all across Europe. There is no better time or place to emphasize this than right now in Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, the city of the rebirth of Europe. Our journey forward is grounded in the principles that have defined us throughout history: sovereignty, national identity and freedom. We have to ensure that decisions affecting our nations are made by those who know and love it best. Our identity, forged through generations of shared history, values and traditions is the foundation upon which our nation stands.”
Wilders continued, “The excessive influx of immigrants as seen in the last decades can delude the very essence of what makes us who we are. So this is a call for recognition that a cohesive society is one that understands and respects its roots. By advocating for reasonable limits and even an asylum stop – temporary or permanent – we are ensuring that our cultural tapestry remains vibrant and intact. Protecting the interest of our own people does not equate to a lack of compassion or empathy. It is about prioritizing the well-being of our citizens, ensuring access to education, employment and social services. It’s about maintaining a society where everyone can thrive and contribute. In advocating for limits on immigration, we are not turning our backs on the world. Instead, we are asserting our responsibility to create a stable and prosperous nation that can serve as an example for others.” The newly elected Dutch official continued to address his fellow ID Party constituents saying, “Let us be the architects of a future where our identity is celebrated, our culture is preserved and the interests of our own people are at the forefront of our priorities. May our nations prosper under the guidance of their patriots as we unite in our share of commitments to the ideas and values that define our various nations.”
In all, 17 speakers addressed the two thousand person audience over the course of the day at Sunday’s Identity and Democracy Party rally. The group takes unapologetic hardline positions that can ultimately win elections, especially in the current political climate of Europe, as long as it has a fair opportunity to make its case.
“As we stand on the digital frontier it’s vital that our voices remain uncensored,” said Ashley St. Clair of the Babylon Bee, the lone American to attend the event. St. Claire went on to praise Elon Musk for his fight for free speech on his platform and addressed the issue of wokeness and censorship saying, “Chief among mind viruses is wokeness. Musk has called it one of the greatest threats to civilization and cited it as one of the primary reasons he decided to buy Twitter. When Seth (co-founder of Babylon Bee) asked Elon why he thinks wokeness is such a threat, Elon said, ‘Wokeness, at its heart, is divisive, exclusionary and hateful. It gives mean people an excuse to be cruel while armored in false virtue.’ Elon’s stance is clear: censorship is antithetical to discourse. Ideas must be dissected and derided if needed or they will fester, unchallenged, corrupting society. Wokeness, as Musk warns, is a contagion of division and vitriol.” St. Claire went on to describe the Left’s practice of silencing opposition saying, “They cloak their oppressive tactics in virtue claiming to shield the vulnerable but in truth they’re insulating their frail doctrines from deserved mockery.”
