ROME (AP) — Former White House strategist Steve Bannon is predicting a "stunning victory" for populists and nationalists in the European Parliament elections in two months but says they can do it without his help.

Bannon has been trying to form a movement uniting populist and nationalist voters across Europe ahead of the May 23-26 vote, but the reception from some European leaders has been lukewarm.

Speaking Thursday at an event in Rome, Bannon acknowledged that "the politicians here don't need me. They are fully capable of winning elections on their own."

He said the "populist, nationalist and sovereignty movement" is gaining traction, thanks to politicians like Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.