No more ITS

All this craziness regarding the xenophobic campaign against Romanian citizens in Italy happened to have even a benefic outcome: the far-right group of in European Parliament - The Identity, Tradition and Sovereignty (ITS) has been finally dissolved. The Romanian MEPs leaved the group, after Alessandra Mussolini’s comments, granddaughter of former fascist leader Benito Mussolini.

Many MEPs welcomed the group’s dissolution:

“We are happy that this group, which does not belong in European democracy, has been dissolved”, [ …] ultranationalists” […] no longer use European taxpayers money to support “xenophobia and neo-fascism”.

(Socialist leader MEP Martin Schulz)

ITS’s “inherent radical nationalism” made its implosion inevitable, […] “they are a casualty of their own philosophy, which […] encourages xenophobic and racist comments […] which have no place in the European Union”.

(Liberal democrat group leader MEP Graham Watson)

“a welcome blow to the prejudice and bigotry” it promoted, […] “united only by hatred […] it was only a matter of time before they succumbed to a hatred of each other as well”. […] “great news for the European Parliament and the fundamental and democratic values of tolerance on which the EU is built”. “We must now […] try and convince those voters who supported these candidates to change their minds at the next European elections.”

(Green MEP Jean Lambert)

Later edit: Well, I’m not the only one who tries to see the full half of the glass. Still … it could be another way. Maybe…. someday.