Months after the European Elections, we’re back to talk about its main takeaways, namely gains for the greens and the strengthening of anti-immigrant far-right parties. We bring you two reports on Insiders Unreported Europe – Euronews’ current affairs magazine. One from Italy and one from Germany.
For the past six months, we’ve been travelling to Europe’s frontlines talking to citizens about their hopes and fears for the future as the European elections were drawing near. Now a month after the poll, we’re back to talk about its main takeaways, namely gains for the greens and the strengthening of anti-immigrant far-right parties.
We bring you two reports on Insiders Unreported Europe – Euronews’ current affairs magazine. One from Italy and the other from Germany.
ITALY
Valerie Gauriat travelled to Lampedusa in Italy, where the island has become one of the main centres of the migrant crisis. She finds out how divided opinions are from people living there.
She spoke to Pietro Bartolo, who was elected European MP on the list of the Italian Democratic Party in the elections last May. He's also the Islands most well-known doctor. Bartolo wants to use his experience to help with new immigration policies.
Bartolo said, "We have the duty and the responsibility to help them."
Meanwhile, in the European election, participation was low; but nearly half of the voters on Lampedusa chose Matteo Salvini's League Party.
A restaurant owner, Angela Maraventano is also a former Senator of the League Party said "We have been welcoming migrants for free. And now we've had enough. Now we will ask the national government and the European Parliament to give us something in return."
GERMANY
Hans von der Brelie visited Germany where he spoke to a new supporter of the Green Party - Stephan Alof - who used to swing between voting for the Social-Democrats or CSU. Now he favours Green Party policy. He said he hopes they can fight the issues they campaigned on.
"What counts now is to walk the walk with regard to ecology, the fight against the extreme right, to support those in need and to youth unemployment across Europe. These are the important topics to be tackled now," said Alof.
Forestry expert Ralf Straussberger said "climate change is having a noticeable effect on the region." He works for the nature protection association "Friends of the Earth" and thinks a long-term change in temperature could have huge consequences:
"It is a dramatic situation. If the politicians don't take action to stop climate change, we will get Mediterranean climatic conditions."
Watch the full show by clicking on the player above.