Bannon in Europe: Populism, nationalism on the rise ‘from US to Asia’

The former Trump administration official, who was in Europe for a Brussle-based right-wing initiative, made the comments in an interview with Politico released Sunday, calling Italy the “center of the political universe,”

“A populist party with nationalist tendencies like the 5Stars, and a nationalist party with populist tendencies like the League … it’s imperative that this works because this shows a model for industrial democracies from the US to Asia," he said.

Bannon, who was fired by US President Donald Trump, was in the EU to promote a foundation called the Movement aimed at boosting right-wing populist parties campaigning for European Parliament elections.

“You are going to have to compromise … On one side you have the guaranteed income, on the other the flat tax, both sides will get what they want and you’ll move on from there,” he said.

The former head of far-right outlet Breitbart News offered praise to both Luigi Di Maio, the leader of the Five Star Movement, and Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, a member of the League, who has also has joined the Movement.

“Throughout the entire world, you will not find two politicians that worked as hard as Salvini and Di Maio, for no money, leading their parties to these unbelievable victories and then stepped back and let someone else be the guy that goes to the [Group of Seven], [Group of 20] and sits in the Oval Office with Trump," Bannon said , adding that there could be “no compromise on core values like migration and national sovereignty for the League and crony capitalism and transparency for the 5Stars.”