Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Monday she intends to create a right-wing majority with Italy at the helm after June’s European Union elections, POLITICO reports.
Far-right parties have been unable to work together effectively in the EU this year, hampered by disagreements on key issues such as Ukraine and national interest vetoes. However, Meloni is confident that there is room for the right-wing to co-operate.
Speaking on Rai Radio1 on Monday, she said:
“Today there are opportunities to change the European picture that have never existed before. We owe it to ourselves to take advantage of them. There are the margins to build a different majority in the European parliament and therefore a different Europe with different policies.”
Meloni’s co-operation – and the share of seats her Brothers of Italy party will win in the election – appears desirable to both French National Rally leader Marine Le Pen and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Over the weekend, Le Pen called on Meloni to unite to form the second largest group in the European Parliament. Von der Leyen said days earlier that she was ready to pay attention to the homophobic policies pursued by Meloni’s party in Italy and include her in her European People’s Party.
Asked how such different right-wing positions, such as those held by von der Leyen and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, could be reconciled, Meloni said that Italy was no longer following France and Germany, but was ahead of them. She also added:
“If the Italians help me, we can change Europe. We should be happy. I don’t remember Italy being particularly central in the past. We conservatives are the only ones that can create a change in step.”
Italy in favour of Palestinian recognition
Meanwhile, Italy’s opposition party, the 5 Star Movement, said on Monday it had submitted a motion to parliament calling on the government to formally recognise the state of Palestine.
The party also calls on the government to take a clear position internationally on the issue. The party said:
“(Prime Minister Giorgia) Meloni cannot hide her head under the sand any longer.”
The 5 Star Movement has also strongly criticised the Italian government for abstaining earlier in May from voting at the UN General Assembly on a resolution recognising Palestine’s eligibility to become a full member of the UN.
Germany, Canada and Britain were also among the countries that abstained, while the US and Israel were among those that voted against the resolution.
Spain, Norway and Ireland announced last week that they would recognise a Palestinian state on May 28 and called on other European states to follow suit. Representatives of the three countries said they hoped their decision would accelerate efforts to secure a cease-fire in Gaza. Some 144 of the 193 UN member states recognise Palestine as a state, including Russia, China and India. But only some EU members, such as Sweden and South Cyprus, do so.
The party also said on Tuesday it would ask for a vote on the proposal to be postponed. If parliament approves the proposal, Italy would have to recognise a Palestinian state.
The Italian left is coming out in support of Palestine. Italian politician and leader of the Italian Left party Nicola Fratoianni wrote on X:
“At the European level, the EU association agreement with Israel is being questioned and talk of sanctions is starting. Finally. For months we were the only ones to raise this issue in our country’s parliament. The government should not be an accomplice to the criminal Netanyahu.”
