MILAN (AP) – The leader of France’s National Rally party is predicting that a group of like-minded right-wing populists will achieve “a historic feat” in next week’s Europe-wide elections.

Marine Le Pen is joining leaders of other nationalist parties Saturday in Italy for a rally organised by League leader Matteo Salvini in front of Milan’s Duomo cathedral ahead of the May 23-26 European Parliamentary elections.

Le Pen said she believes the Europe of Nations and Freedom parliamentary group “will perform a historic feat to pass from the 8th place in Europe to third or maybe second.”

Analysts believe that the two traditional centre-right and centre-left political groups will be weakened in the vote, falling short of the 50 per cent threshold for the first time.

Salvini Tops Polls in Italy Ahead of EU Election as Orban Alliance Takes Shape https://t.co/P8oEKAH97f — Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) May 4, 2019