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| Dutch Eurosceptic Wilders in talks with France's Le Pen | Dutch Eurosceptic Wilders in talks with France's Le Pen |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Eurosceptic Dutch politician Geert Wilders and French National Front leader Marine Le Pen are meeting in the Netherlands to discuss forging closer ties. | The Eurosceptic Dutch politician Geert Wilders and French National Front leader Marine Le Pen are meeting in the Netherlands to discuss forging closer ties. |
| Both leaders say Europe's political elite has been too tolerant of Islam and both want to curb immigration. | Both leaders say Europe's political elite has been too tolerant of Islam and both want to curb immigration. |
| Ms Le Pen, a Euro MP, is expected to attend a Dutch parliament session and have lunch with Mr Wilders. | Ms Le Pen, a Euro MP, is expected to attend a Dutch parliament session and have lunch with Mr Wilders. |
| Eurosceptics are widely expected to do well in the European elections in May. | Eurosceptics are widely expected to do well in the European elections in May. |
| Historically, nationalists and other anti-immigration parties have been fragmented in Europe. They tend to campaign on national issues, rejecting EU integration and any further weakening of national sovereignty. | Historically, nationalists and other anti-immigration parties have been fragmented in Europe. They tend to campaign on national issues, rejecting EU integration and any further weakening of national sovereignty. |
| Mr Wilders, who heads the Freedom Party (PVV), said Ms Le Pen's National Front (FN) "has a lot in common with the PVV - less Europe, less immigration". | Mr Wilders, who heads the Freedom Party (PVV), said Ms Le Pen's National Front (FN) "has a lot in common with the PVV - less Europe, less immigration". |
| The PVV and FN currently sit among independent MEPs in the European Parliament. They are not in the same group as the UK Independence Party (UKIP). | The PVV and FN currently sit among independent MEPs in the European Parliament. They are not in the same group as the UK Independence Party (UKIP). |
| To form a bloc they would need a minimum of 25 MEPs from at least seven EU member states. | To form a bloc they would need a minimum of 25 MEPs from at least seven EU member states. |
| Correspondents say the two parties could team up with groups such as Austria's Freedom Party (FPOe), Italy's Northern League, Vlaams Belang in Belgium, the Sweden Democrats or the Danish People's Party. | Correspondents say the two parties could team up with groups such as Austria's Freedom Party (FPOe), Italy's Northern League, Vlaams Belang in Belgium, the Sweden Democrats or the Danish People's Party. |
| Recognition as an official political group in the European Parliament gives group members EU subsidies, offices, assistants and seats on parliamentary committees. |