A few days before the regional elections, Matteo Salvini seeks to devote himself to the leadership of the European far right

The captain Matteo Salvini, as the Italian far-right leader of the league is called, returned to his hometown of Milan on Saturday to dedicate himself as champion of the new Europe.

Supported by a Ten ultra-conservative parties from all over the old continent, the captain arrived with a rosary in his hand and concluded his diatribe with a "I trust in the immaculate heart of Mary to get the victory".

Salvini did not spare his praise for Benedict XVI and John Paul II, examples for him of positive pontiffs, in a kind of hidden criticism against the Argentine pope Francisco, known for his defense of migrants.

"Salvini is our captain, managed to get a lot of people together and to regain lost Italian pride "says Elena Alessandria, a 60-year-old retiree living in Alba, northern Italy.

"We want to be an Italian country, with an Italian currency, we want to return to what we were before, a dignified and independent nation"said.

The "Salvini day", as the press describes it, wants to be theThe party that should catapult him as a key figure in the future European Parliament after the 26 May elections.

"Salvini represents the hope: is the only one to defend the interests of Italians in Italy, in Europe and in the world"says Luigi Tagliabue, a textile worker who is present among the protesters.

The demonstration on the balconies

The decision of the "captain", as Minister of the Interior, of the closing of ports to migrants fleeing the Mediterranean is applauded by its supporters.

"Crimes have decreased, there is more and more legality and more and more"says Walter Frigeriou, from Como.

For Simone De Giorgio, "In just ten months, Salvini has managed to do what center-right Italians have been waiting for over 20 years "said after listing the minister's achievements: the right to self-defense, the possibility of early retirement and the introduction of civic education clbades in schools.

The 21-year-old, an active member of Forza Italia (FI), the party of magnate Silvio Berlusconi, joined the League two months ago, seduced by Salvini's policy.

"It is the only force capable of giving serious and concrete answers to the citizens", badures

For Simone, a native of Taranto, south of the peninsula, Salvini was also able to ask for "forgiveness" for his insults committed in the past against the inhabitants of these poor areas of the south of the peninsula.whom I called lazy and thieves.

"Europe has so far been led by banks and finance. We discover that other peoples of Europe think as we do. We must be united, but each state must decide independently of its policy", explains Frigeriou, 60 years old.

The withdrawal by the police of a long banner that ironicly called for "Let's stay together" in the middle of the Duomo square, causing a few moments of tension between the anti-Salvini activists and the "patriots" of the League.

Silently, Another Italy protested Saturday in Milan against Salvini's policy of hanging banquelles and banners on windows and balconies.

The motto was highlighted in a corner of a building "Bridges, not walls" while in a piece of manuscript sheet, the message was clear: "You are not welcome", while in another, you were asking for "open ports".

"Outside, outside," shouted a remotely controlled group with an imposing security device, fearing clashes with the counter-demonstration organized in Sempione Park.