Marine Le Pen poses a greater threat than Giorgia Meloni

When Giorgia Meloni took over as Italy’s prime minister in October 2022, Europe’s liberals trembled. Her party, the Brothers of Italy, has roots in post-war neo-fascism, and her electoral pitch, promising a clampdown on illegal immigration, promised uncompromisingly hard-right politics. A year on, the pragmatic Ms Meloni has not turned out to be the disruptive force some feared. Which makes centrists in neighbouring France worry that this could help Marine Le Pen.France is not due to hold a presidential vote until 2027. But Ms Le Pen has twice made it to the run-off, each time to be beaten by Emmanuel Macron. The constitution forbids him from standing for a third consecutive term. Already, between 2017 and 2022, Ms Le Pen increased her run-off vote from 34% to 41%. Under France’s centralised presidency, the possibility of a Le Pen victory raises particular concern.