Italian far-right PM Meloni says will stand in EU elections
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00:00 Throwing her head in the ring for June's EU elections,
00:03 Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Maloni takes the head of the Brothers of Italy list.
00:07 Announcing her candidacy on Sunday, she vowed to unite Europe's conservatives.
00:12 "I'm putting myself forward because in addition to being president of Brothers of Italy,
00:19 I'm also the leader of European conservatives,
00:21 who want to play a decisive role in changing the course of European politics."
00:27 Maloni's Brothers of Italy party, which has neo-fascist roots,
00:30 came top in the nation's 2022 general elections with 26% of the vote.
00:36 Since her rise to power, the 47-year-old has strived to soften her image
00:40 by diluting anti-EU rhetoric.
00:42 But she staunchly rejected values traditionally embraced by the left,
00:47 including immigration,
00:48 forging diplomatic partnerships aimed at controlling migrant arrivals in the country.
00:52 She's also spoken out against LGBTQ rights,
00:56 her priorities outlined in a raucous speech in 2022.
00:59 "Yes to a natural family.
01:03 No to LGBT lobby.
01:06 Yes to sexual identity.
01:09 No to gender ideology.
01:11 Yes to the culture of life."
01:14 The June elections are expected to see a major pivot to the far right in many member states,
01:19 with anti-EU populist parties gaining votes and seats across the EU,
01:24 a shift that's likely to have significant consequences for EU-level policies.
01:28 [BLANK_AUDIO]