European far-right group dissolved after "xenophobic" row

Brussels - The most right-wing group in the European Parliament was dissolved Wednesday after five Romanian legislators confirmed that they had quit in protest at remarks made by a fellow party member from Italy. The Identity-Tradition-Sovereignty (ITS) group was formed in January, when the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the EU brought several new far-right MEPs into the parliament. The departure of the MEPs from the Greater Romania party left ITS with just 18 members, two less than the minimum needed for an official presence in the parliament. The five Romanians first announced that they would quit ITS on November 8, after Italian MEP Alessandra Mussolini - granddaughter of the Fascist dictator - accused Romanians in Italy of making 'lawbreaking a way of life.' Her words came amidst a heated debate in Italy over the alleged crimes committed by Romanian migrants - a debate sparked by the murder of an Italian woman, allegedly by a Romanian. ITS was widely regarded as the most xenophobic and anti-EU group in the European parliament, uniting far-right parties such as France's National Front and Belgium's Vlaams Belang. Its dissolution deprives them of a voice as well as EU funds. © 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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European far-right group dissolved after "xenophobic" row

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