A spokesperson for the newly formed
Patriots for Europe group in the EU Parliament said Friday that
the group would discuss Roberto Vannacci's appointment as one of
its vice presidents on Monday amid reports that Marine Le Pen's
National Rally (RN) is against it.
"All these decisions will be taken at the next group meeting on
Monday, so I can't tell you anything," the spokesperson said
when asked about the possibility Vannacci, an Italian general
elected as an MEP in June's European elections as an independent
on the League's list of candidates, could be replaced.
Vannacci came to prominence after the publication last year of a
book featuring controversial opinions on gays and migrants,
among other things.
Last month he was cleared by a court of defaming Italian
volleyball star Paolo Egonu, who has Nigerian parents, after
saying in the book that "her somatic features do not represent
Italian-ness".
He was elected as one the Patriots for Europe vice presidents
during its first meeting on last Monday, at which RN President
Jordan Bardella was made the head of the caucus.
"There are no divisions," the group's spokesperson said.
"It's a new group that formed this very week and we'll take all
the decisions at the right time".
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