Europe's nationalist leaders launch year of election hopes
KOBLENZ, Germany - 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's 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.
