The transformation of the Italian party Lega’s views on European policy

About the author:

Ulyana A. Zhegalova, Postgraduate Student, Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow, Russia; zhegalova.u@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7930-8635

Abstract:

The aim of this article is not only to describe the evolution of the Italian party Lega’s (formerly Lega Nord) views on European integration but also to identify the structural patterns of its ideological transformation in the context of pan-European political trends. Covering the period from the 1990s to 2025, the study shows how the party evolved from radical regionalism and separatism to national populism with a focus on an all-Italian agenda. The key elements of its ideology that have persisted through rhetorical shifts remain Euroscepticism, sovereigntism, federalism, and a staunch anti-immigration stance. Lega’s foreign policy (regarding the EU) rhetoric combines criticism of supranational institutions with pragmatic participation in European right-wing alliances, most notably demonstrated by the party’s move to the new Patriots for Europe faction in 2024.

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