Political history of Wednesday, April 1, 2026

The Poland of the Law and Justice party, 2015 – 2023, Giorgia Meloni’s Italy since 2022, and Viktor Orban’s Hungary since 2010.

“Viktor Orban is a visionary, a pioneer (…). Hungarian voters! On April 12, you will be the first to vote in what promises to be an electoral upheaval in our continent in 2027!” Marine Le Pen, at a meeting in Budapest on March 23. Like a mirror being held up: what kind of governance would RN have if they win next year? This is the starting point of the fascinating report published this morning by the Montaigne Institute. Written by historians and political scientists Christophe Jaffrelot, Blanche Leridon, and Marc Lazar. 90 pages to move away from a form of intellectual laziness. When we examine these 3 “national-populist” experiences within the EU, everything is not monolithic.

Why specify this European identity? Because every time, there is a huge gap between the europhobia during the campaign, the conquest of power, and the pragmatism once in charge. Poland, the largest net beneficiary of the EU. Italy, the main recipient of the post-Covid European recovery plan. Even paradoxical on immigration! Xenophobia in words, openness in practice, according to Marc Lazar. “The most emblematic case is probably Giorgia Meloni in Italy, who has accepted nearly 900,000 immigrants, even if some of them are supposed to be immigrants who should return: they do seasonal work.”

Giorgia Meloni collaborates with the Italian employers’ association, Confindustria. In Poland, 1% of immigrant labor in 2013, seven times more now! Hungary has adopted a law on “guest workers”. Also a gap on environmental issues… The transition is happening quietly, under the influence of EU subsidies. Poland reducing coal dependence. Italy and Hungary, where wind and solar power are advancing.

Can we equate these 3 political experiences? No, if you look at the war in Ukraine: Putin divides. Poland and Italy look towards Washington. Orban towards the Kremlin. Yes, if you consider the values defended.

“This is a very active policy around a slogan that unites them: God, family, country. Defending Christianity, defending the traditional family, and exalting the homeland,” according to Marc Lazar. At the expense of judges, media, minorities. Without ever completely managing to stifle the checks and balances. If Hungary were to join the EU today, it would likely be sidelined!

And France in all of this? An informed citizen is worth two. The Montaigne Institute tells us how outdated the speeches about “Europe: love it or leave it” are. The reality catches up with the ideologues. And RN should read this report instead of turning away from European flags, like the new RN mayor of Carcassonne, Christophe Barthes, a winemaker whose company has received nearly 300,000 euros in aid from Europe since 2010!