Euroscepticism in Italy: Evolution of Northern League Political Program
Abstract: The article examines the key stages of the establishment of Italy’s Northern League as a rightwing hard eurosceptic party. Being initially a continual supporter of European integration and considering the transition to common currency as an opportunity available only to northern regions, w...
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| Language: | English |
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MGIMO University Press
2015-10-01
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| Series: | Vestnik MGIMO-Universiteta |
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| Online Access: | https://www.vestnik.mgimo.ru/jour/article/view/423 |
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| author | O. N. Barabanov M. O. Shibkova |
| author_facet | O. N. Barabanov M. O. Shibkova |
| author_sort | O. N. Barabanov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract: The article examines the key stages of the establishment of Italy’s Northern League as a rightwing hard eurosceptic party. Being initially a continual supporter of European integration and considering the transition to common currency as an opportunity available only to northern regions, which could secede and form an independent state, Northern League after losing the main point of its political agenda when the whole Italy joined the Economic and Monetary Union in 1998, became a eurosceptically-oriented party, which it is up to now. The authors dwell on the focal points of the party’s anti-EU program: Italy’s exit from the eurozone, the formation of Europe of macroregions, the reformation of supranational institutes and decision-making procedures. However, while confronting the Northern League policy with that of National Front in France and UKIP in the United Kingdom, the authors come to the conclusion that Euroscepticism for the former is just a sign of the shift in priorities rather than a strategy as for the latter. This can be explained by the fact that National Front and UKIP are still to fight for the place in the national mainstream, while Northern League has become its integral part long before. Nevertheless, under the new leadership of M.Salvini Northern League managed to become the fourth party on the national level according to the results of European parliament elections in 2014 and established itself as a significant power opponent to EU policy on a number of important issues, such as anti-Russian sanctions. Moreover, frequent visits of party members to Moscow and the party’s outspoken support of Russia on Crimea’s entrance into the Russian Federation provide an opportunity to consider Northern League a potential conductor of Russian interests in the European Union. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3601086655114555b4f903489ab1252f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2071-8160 2541-9099 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2015-10-01 |
| publisher | MGIMO University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vestnik MGIMO-Universiteta |
| spelling | doaj-art-3601086655114555b4f903489ab1252f2025-01-30T12:16:13ZengMGIMO University PressVestnik MGIMO-Universiteta2071-81602541-90992015-10-0105(44)9910710.24833/2071-8160-2015-5-44-99-107423Euroscepticism in Italy: Evolution of Northern League Political ProgramO. N. Barabanov0M. O. Shibkova1Mosraw State Institute of international relations (MGIMO)Mosraw State Institute of international relations (MGIMO)Abstract: The article examines the key stages of the establishment of Italy’s Northern League as a rightwing hard eurosceptic party. Being initially a continual supporter of European integration and considering the transition to common currency as an opportunity available only to northern regions, which could secede and form an independent state, Northern League after losing the main point of its political agenda when the whole Italy joined the Economic and Monetary Union in 1998, became a eurosceptically-oriented party, which it is up to now. The authors dwell on the focal points of the party’s anti-EU program: Italy’s exit from the eurozone, the formation of Europe of macroregions, the reformation of supranational institutes and decision-making procedures. However, while confronting the Northern League policy with that of National Front in France and UKIP in the United Kingdom, the authors come to the conclusion that Euroscepticism for the former is just a sign of the shift in priorities rather than a strategy as for the latter. This can be explained by the fact that National Front and UKIP are still to fight for the place in the national mainstream, while Northern League has become its integral part long before. Nevertheless, under the new leadership of M.Salvini Northern League managed to become the fourth party on the national level according to the results of European parliament elections in 2014 and established itself as a significant power opponent to EU policy on a number of important issues, such as anti-Russian sanctions. Moreover, frequent visits of party members to Moscow and the party’s outspoken support of Russia on Crimea’s entrance into the Russian Federation provide an opportunity to consider Northern League a potential conductor of Russian interests in the European Union.https://www.vestnik.mgimo.ru/jour/article/view/423«лига севера»italyeuroscepticismrussian-italian relationsnorthern leagueparty systemeuropean unionintegrationglobal problemseu reformeuropean parliament eleuionsnational identity |
| spellingShingle | O. N. Barabanov M. O. Shibkova Euroscepticism in Italy: Evolution of Northern League Political Program Vestnik MGIMO-Universiteta «лига севера» italy euroscepticism russian-italian relations northern league party system european union integration global problems eu reform european parliament eleuions national identity |
| title | Euroscepticism in Italy: Evolution of Northern League Political Program |
| title_full | Euroscepticism in Italy: Evolution of Northern League Political Program |
| title_fullStr | Euroscepticism in Italy: Evolution of Northern League Political Program |
| title_full_unstemmed | Euroscepticism in Italy: Evolution of Northern League Political Program |
| title_short | Euroscepticism in Italy: Evolution of Northern League Political Program |
| title_sort | euroscepticism in italy evolution of northern league political program |
| topic | «лига севера» italy euroscepticism russian-italian relations northern league party system european union integration global problems eu reform european parliament eleuions national identity |
| url | https://www.vestnik.mgimo.ru/jour/article/view/423 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT onbarabanov euroscepticisminitalyevolutionofnorthernleaguepoliticalprogram AT moshibkova euroscepticisminitalyevolutionofnorthernleaguepoliticalprogram |