REFILE 1ST LEAD Le Pen hails birth of a "new world" at far-right conference By Jens Albes, dpa

Koblenz, Germany (dpa) - Leaders of Europe‘s established far-right parties were bullish about their parties‘ prospects at a conference in the German city of Koblenz on Saturday."We are seeing the end of one world and the birth of a new," the leader of France‘s Front National, Marine le Pen, told supporters of right-wing and anti-immigrant parties.Le Pen was critical of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who received broad praise for her decision to allow hundreds of thousands of migrants into the country in 2015."But no one asked the Germans what they think of this immigration policy," Le Pen said at her first public appearance in Germany.Merkel is now under pressure as frustration grows among voters who have criticized her management of the refugee crisis.The French presidential hopeful described 2017 as "the year of awakening for the people of Central Europe."European nationalists were no longer on the fringe and would now set out to win majorities in elections this year in the Netherlands, France and Germany, she added.Le Pen has been quick to claim recent anti-establishment victories by President Donald Trump and the Brexit campaign as those of a rising populist right in Europe.Dutch firebrand Geert Wilders used the platform to repeat his anti-Islam rhetoric, the central theme of policies that have pushed his Party for Freedom (PVV) in front in the polls ahead of elections in March.The leaders of Europe‘s established parties were "promoting our Islamization," Wilders said in a speech.European women are now "frightened of showing their blonde hair," the Dutch politician said, addressing the enthusiastic audience in German.AfD leader Frauke Petry, whose party is set to enter Germany‘s Bundestag for the first time this year, accused the German and EU governments of threatening individual and cultural freedom through "brainwashing," which she claimed was "much worse than erstwhile socialist propaganda."Meanwhile Matteo Salvini, leader of the far-right Northern League in Italy, called for withdrawal from the euro, which he called a "failed, criminal experiment."Hammering on an anti-immigrant theme that has seen the party rise in recent months to around 15 per cent electoral support in Italy, Salvini said: "There are thousands of Italians without homes, electricity or heating, while thousands of immigrants are living in hotels."He also slammed Merkel‘s migration policies and claimed that Europe‘s leaders were furthering terrorism by taking in refugees.By midday, police had counted around 3,000 counter-protesters outside the event.The conference was organized by the Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF), a cross-party group in the European Parliament made up of eurosceptics and anti-migrant movements from across the bloc.The ENF had already attracted criticism ahead of Saturday‘s gathering because organizers blocked press access for several media outlets, citing alleged bias.