Europe's nationalist leaders launch year of election hopes

FILE - In this Jan. 29, 2016 file photo Northern League leader Matteo Salvini, French far right leader Marine Le Pen and Firebrand Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders attend a press conference on the second day of a 2-day convention of European nationalists, in Milan, Italy. On Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017 - a day after the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States - nationalist leaders from Germany, France, the Netherlands and Italy plan to spell out a vision for Europe at a meeting in Koblenz, Germany, that will echo many of Donald Trump’s talking points on immigration, Islam and relations with Russia. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni, file) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Dec. 16, 2016 file photo head of the nationalist party Alternative for Germany, AfD, Frauke Petry her husband Marcus Pretzell are pictured in Berlin, Germany. On Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017 - a day after the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States - nationalist leaders from Germany, France, the Netherlands and Italy plan to spell out a vision for Europe at a meeting in Koblenz, Germany, that will echo many of Donald Trump’s talking points on immigration, Islam and relations with Russia. (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP) (The Associated Press)

AfD (Alternative for Germany) chairwoman Frauke Petry, Far-right leader and candidate for next spring presidential elections Marine le Pen from France, Italian Lega Nord chief Matteo Salvini and Dutch populist anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders , from left, stand together in the beginning of a meeting of European Nationalists in Koblenz, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) (The Associated Press)

Nationalist leaders from major European countries are gathering in Germany to kick off a year in which some hope to achieve Donald Trump-style upsets in national elections.

Saturday's meeting of the Europe of Nations and Freedom group in the European Parliament brings together French presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen, the Netherlands' Geert Wilders, Matteo Salvini of Italy's Northern League and Frauke Petry of the four-year-old Alternative for Germany. Austria's Freedom Party is also represented.

Wilders' anti-Islam Party of Freedom could win the largest percentage of votes in the March 15 Dutch parliamentary election. Le Pen is among top contenders in France's April-May presidential vote. And in September, Petry's party hopes to enter the German parliament.

Organizers billed Saturday's meeting as bringing together "the top politicians of the new Europe."