We are only a few days away from the European Parliamentary Election on the 26thof May, the most important democratic exercise in our continent, and a decisive moment for the future of Europe. 

 

Fratelli d'Italia has joined the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, a decision made because of our shared values and ideals set out in the Prague Declaration, the founding document of the group from 2009.

 

The European Conservatives and Reformists Group is currently the third largest in the European Parliament, with 18 delegations, who have been a strong opposition on the European level in the last mandate. In the next mandate, we are convinced that we will continue to be important thanks to the contribution of Fratelli d’Italia, and with significant representation from the nations of Mediterranean Europe. 

 

On the 26thof May, citizens will be asked to choose what kind of future they want for the European Union. The debate on the future of the EU cannot be reduced to a choice between a federal Europe or the dissolution of the EU. We, as European conservatives, were the first to call for the reform of the Union; and we were the first to understand the EU has overreached and has become too bureaucratic and controlling, often going against the will of the people. 

 

That is why we want to change Europe, proposing an alternative vision. We believe in reform of the EU, to create a Europe that is a community of free and sovereign states that choose to cooperate with each other on fundamental issues, but that can continue to make decisions closer to the people. We believe in a Europe that can defend its borders against uncontrolled immigration and face the threat of Islamism. We believe in a market economy that can support business without the need for European level taxes and red tape; we believe in personal freedom, and we believe in the Christian foundations of Europe, including family values. In accordance with these principles, we are convinced that the European Conservatives and Reformists can be key to the composition of the next European Parliament and push for genuine reform of the EU. 

 

In Europe the time has come to break the Grand Coalition and move to the right, taking the Union in a new direction. The federalists believe that we would destroy Europe, but this is not the case. The only way to save the European Dream is to reform Europe, creating an EU that does less but better. These elections will be crucial for the Union and its role in the globalised world. If we can fulfil our agenda and show our citizens that the European Union is here to protect the interest of all its Member States, we will have brought about real change in Europe. 

 

This election will be different from previous ones. A new realignment seems possible, and we conservatives are ready to reshape the EU, so let’s seize the moment and commit ourselves to responding to the concerns of our citizens. The time for Change is now.