Italy: Berlusconi seeks EU parliament seat, 'united Europe'
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Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi says he is running for the European Parliament in May's election because he wants to fight for a more united European Union faithful to the vision of the bloc's founders.
Berlusconi spoke at a weekend convention of his center-right Forza Italia party, which in recent years has seen its popularity fall as voters turn to parties on the right with anti-migrant and euroskeptic messages, especially the League party.
The League governs Italy in a coalition with the populist 5-Star Movement. It is pushing for more national autonomy and less European integration.
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However, Berlusconi said on Saturday that he wants Europe "to return to the project of the founding fathers who wanted a much more united Europe, a Europe with only one foreign policy, with only one defense policy."