Constructive tone away from controversy. For her first visit to Brussels, the new far-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni opted Thursday for a calm tone with the leaders of the European Union, insisting on “positive” exchanges and remaining measured on the points of friction such as immigration.
“I am happy with the climate I found in Brussels,” said the 45-year-old sovereignist leader, after her successive meetings with Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the Commission , and Charles Michel, Chairman of the Board. “From a personal, human point of view, a very frank and very positive exchange has been created,” added the first female head of government in Italy, at the head of the most right-wing government since the post- war.
The one who leads the third largest economy in the euro zone has shown herself determined to focus on the sensitive issue of soaring energy prices, a fight already initiated by her predecessor Mario Draghi who had called for a solution to the Twenty-Seven and castigated the individualistic approach taken by Berlin.
A conciliatory tone
Claiming to have “presented the Italian point of view”, she insisted on the need “to provide a European solution as soon as possible”, defending the idea of a gas price cap. Same conciliatory tone on the side of Ursula von der Leyen, who mentioned, in a tweet, the “strong signal” sent by this visit. “It was a good opportunity to discuss crucial topics,” she added, referring in particular to Ukraine, energy and the issue of migrants.
His face-to-face with Von der Leyen was particularly awaited since the outcry provoked in Italy by the remarks of the President of the Commission, who had warned before the elections in the peninsula against the consequences to which Italy would be exposed. in the event of deviation from democratic principles.
Sign of a form of caution on both sides, no joint declaration was organized at the end of these three meetings which were carefully scrutinized, against a background of energy crisis which is testing the resistance of the ‘Union.
“We are not Martians”
But the participants tried to highlight the points of convergence. “We are totally aligned with Ukraine,” said Roberta Metsola after the meeting. “We will continue to be firm on the sanctions. And we are united in reaffirming our support for Ukraine”. More broadly, Giorgia Meloni castigated the image, according to her, of her government.
“Talking directly with people can help unravel a narrative that has been built about me and the Italian government,” she said. “We are not Martians, we are flesh and blood people who explain their positions. »
According to political scientist Lorenzo Codogno, the Italian leader had not arrived in Brussels anyway with warlike intentions: “Meloni is pragmatic and wants to be seen as a moderate leader,” he explained to AFP. A clash over the European post-pandemic recovery fund, of which Italy is the main beneficiary with around 200 billion euros, appeared unlikely, even if Meloni said he wanted to obtain “adjustments” to take into account the price increase. energy, and these adjustments had to be negotiated at the “technical” level, according to Codogno.
But it will be difficult for Brussels to avoid a confrontation over immigration, a favorite theme of the far right in Italy, which is one of the main gateways for migrants in Europe. The new Italian leader has clearly made her difference heard on this point. “We have of course talked about the migratory flows and the Italian demand for a change (…) under which the priority, already provided for in European standards, is the defense of the external borders”, she explained. “It’s a very delicate, very important subject,” she continued, assuring, without further details, that she had found “attentive ears” in Brussels.