Thousands of supporters gathered in front of Milan's Duomo cathedral on Saturday for a major far-right rally organised by Italian deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, drawing prominent nationalist figures from across Europe under the banner "Without Fear – in Europe, Masters in our Own Home!" The event was hosted by the Patriots for Europe, the third-largest bloc in the European Parliament, and brought together leaders united by opposition to irregular immigration and what they described as overreaching Brussels bureaucracy.
Among the most prominent speakers was Geert Wilders, leader of the far-right Dutch PVV party, who told the crowd: "Today, the tragedy we predicted has become a reality. Our people, the original inhabitants of Europe, have been hit by a tsunami of mass immigration, illegal immigration, mostly from Islamic countries." Jordan Bardella, president of France's National Rally, addressed the audience partly in Italian, declaring that victory in France's upcoming presidential election was "within reach" and that a far-right win there would represent "a victory for all the nations of Europe." The term "remigration" — a phrase associated with calls for the mass expulsion of immigrants — was repeatedly chanted by sections of the crowd. Greek politician Afroditi Latinopoulou and Spain's Santiago Abascal also participated, while Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and Spain's Abascal joined by video.
The notable absence was that of Hungary's Viktor Orbán, one of the co-founders of the Patriots for Europe, who was voted out of power last week after 16 years as prime minister in a crushing defeat to pro-EU opposition leader Péter Magyar. Salvini paid tribute to him nonetheless, saying: "Dear Viktor, you have defended the borders and fought human traffickers and arms traffickers. Let us continue this fight together."
Beyond immigration, Salvini used the platform to call for suspension of the EU's Stability and Growth Pact, which sets limits on member states' budget deficits. He argued that the rules were strangling European economies, particularly in the context of the energy crisis triggered by the war in the Middle East, and warned that Italy would "act alone" if Brussels did not respond within days. He also called for an end to the EU's Green Deal, describing it as an "ideological monster" that benefited Chinese companies at the expense of European ones.
A strong police cordon separated the rally from a counter-demonstration by antifascist organisations, which also drew thousands to the streets nearby. The rally served as a show of strength for Salvini's League party, which has seen its support fall sharply — polling at just six to eight percent compared to 17.4 percent in the 2018 elections. Meanwhile, a simultaneous gathering of progressive leaders, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, was held in Barcelona, highlighting the sharpening ideological contest over Europe's political direction ahead of major elections in France, Italy, Spain, and Poland.