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WORLD NEWS Friday 14 June 2019

Europe’s populists rebrand but policies remain the same

By LORNE COOK parties lost ground in the
Associated Press May 23-26 polls, but allied
BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe’s with mainstream pro-busi-
far-right and populist parties ness and pro-environment
sought to rebrand them- parties they still hold a com-
selves Thursday, launch- fortable majority.
ing a new group dubbed While insisting that they
Identity and Democracy in want change, members of
the European Parliament Identity and Democracy —
but with many of the same Le Pen in a maroon-colored
faces and most of the old coat was the only woman
policies. among nine dark-suited
Claiming to be riding the men — said they don’t
crest of a popular wave want to see the end of the
from last month’s EU elec- European Union. They said
tions, the group welcomed their door remains open to
in the far-right Alternative other parties, including Ni-
for Germany and renewed gel Farage’s Brexit Party or
pledges to take back sov- Hungary’s anti-migrant Fi-
ereignty from Brussels, French far-right National Rally leader and MEP Marine Le Pen and Belgium’s Vlaams Belang desz party.
boost security and stop mi- member and MEP Gerolf Annemans take a cellphone photo of themselves after attending a “For us, Europe is a geo-
grants entering Europe. media conference to announce the formation of a new far-right European Parliament group at graphic concept and a
“Things must change, be- the European Parliament in Brussels, Thursday, June 13, 2019. cultural sphere. Protecting
cause voters demand it,” Associated Press Europe from phenomena
Marine Le Pen, leader of time of hidden maneuvers from the Lega party of Ital- Identity and Democracy like massive Third World
France’s National Rally par- behind the backs of the ian Deputy Premier Matteo will hold 73 seats in the new immigration and its conse-
ty said at a news confer- people is over.” Salvini, who sent his apolo- parliament — double its quences is very pro-Euro-
ence where several of the “This attempt to create a gies for not being able to predecessor — but will only pean,” said Jussi Halla-Aho,
group’s staff, stood among European super-state has attend the launch. control around 10% of the leader of the Finns Party,
reporters, applauded the not brought any added Drawn from nine of the 751-seat assembly. The big- which has also teamed up
politicians’ remarks. “The value,” said Marco Zanni, EU’s 28 member countries, gest center-right and -left with the group.q

Albania: Lawmakers rebuke president’s ‘invalid’ stop of vote

By LLAZAR SEMINI no-confidence vote to oust tion parties.
Associated Press the president. The political opposition has
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Al- Meta reacted to the vote led continuous protests
bania’s parliament passed by saying only the Constitu- since mid-February, accus-
a resolution Thursday criti- tional Court had the power ing the government of links
cizing President Ilir Meta to judge the legality of his to organized crime and
for attempting to cancel actions. He dismissed the demanding a new general
upcoming municipal elec- resolution as Socialist Party election. The Socialists have
tions, a move it called un- rhetoric that was “not serv- denied the allegations
constitutional, beyond the ing at all to a crisis solu- The Socialist Party did not
president’s authority and tion or social peace in the say whether its representa-
“absolutely invalid.” country.” tives would again seek to
Lawmakers voted 100-7 in Meta said Saturday he vote Meta out of office.
favor of the rebuke in a test was canceling June 30 lo- Lawmakers spent hours
of support for the governing cal elections because he Thursday debating a no-
Socialist Party, which has a feared the balloting would confidence motion out for-
comfortable majority in the be “undemocratic” with- ward by party members,
140-seat parliament but not Albanian President Ilir Meta speaks during a news conference in out participation of Alba- but ended up not calling a
the two-thirds needed for a capital Tirana, Albania on Monday June 10, 2019. nia’s center-right opposi- vote.q
Associated Press