Le Pen invites Meloni to form ‘super-group’ in European parliament

Marine Le Pen said an alliance between the ID and ECR groups in the European parliament ‘would be really helpful’. Photograph: Courdji Sebastien/Abaca/Rex/Shutterstock

The French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has suggested the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, join forces with her in a new alliance, as the EU’s resurgent but divided nationalist parties gear up for European parliamentary elections next month.

The move came as European centre-left parties reiterated a warning to the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, that they would not support her bid for a second term if it entailed the backing of hard-right parties – including Meloni’s.