Italy’s Northern League will hold its annual rally today | Photo: REUTERS/Max Rossi

Italy’s right-wing Lega Nord (Northern League) will hold its annual rally in Lombardy, Italy today.

Marine Le Pen of France’s right-wing populist Rassemblement National is notably due to attend the event as a guest of honor. This year’s gathering comes following a victory for Italy’s right-wing parties in Italy’s 2022 general election. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, the country’s coalition government has focused on cutting ties with China, supporting Ukraine, and addressing domestic economic issues ranging from Italy’s national debt to inflation.

While the rally is expected to celebrate the coming first anniversary of the right-wing election victory and encourage support for the current government, Le Pen’s invitation also indicates an interest in promoting right-wing governance abroad. In France for instance, Le Pen has stood in three presidential elections and will likely tout Meloni’s Italy as an example of what France could become if she is elected. Similarly, Meloni’s Italy will likely continue to press itself as a model for the rest of Europe focusing on national interest over strict collaboration with EU institutions. Whether that will inspire a turn to Meloni and Le Pen’s brand of right-wing populism will depend on whether Italy achieves the goals Meloni has set out for it, especially in mitigating Italy’s economic difficulties.