European far-right parties welcomed Giorgia Meloni’s election victory this Monday, in hopes it bodes well for more victories in the future. A less effusive reaction from most European governments (with the exception of the Hungarian Viktor Orbán and the Pole Mateusz Morawiecki who also congratulated him) or even from Brussels, which preferred to concentrate on friendly relations with Italy and the expectation of continuing cooperation with Rome.
“The Commission and the President are working with the governments that emerge from the polls of the countries of the European Union and in this particular case it will be no different,” said spokesman Eric Manner, asking if Ursula von der Leyen is available to work with Meloni. He also said he expected “constructive cooperation with the new Italian authorities” and considered it an “extreme simplification” to want “to see some sort of judgment on Europe in these elections”.
The European Union has even been targeted by the far right. “Bravo to Giorgia Meloni and Matteo Salvini for resisting the threat from the European Union, undemocratic and arrogant”wrote France’s Marine Le Pen, leader of the Réunion Nacional (formerly the Front National), on Twitter.
The Élysée Palace said it respected the Italians’ “democratic choice” and said it “wanted to continue working together”. But Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne stressed that France will remain “attentive” to “respecting” human rights and abortion.
“Italy marks the way to a new Europe of free and sovereign nations”, said Vox leader Santiago Abascal, congratulating Meloni.
The head of Spanish diplomacy, José Manuel Albares, warned of the growth of populism, which “always ends in catastrophe”. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he hoped Rome would remain “friendly” towards the European Union.
In Portugal, Chega’s leader André Ventura said Meloni is paving the way for “change in Portugal and Spain in the next electoral cycles”. PS warned of the danger: “If the democratic right normalizes the far right, it will ultimately lead it.” said the deputy secretary general, João Torres. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stressed “at this sensitive moment” the importance of “stability in the main European economies”, with Italy being the third largest.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he wanted to continue working with Rome towards “common goals”, including “respect for human rights”. And he recalled: “Italy is a vital ally, a strong democracy and a valuable partner.”
Source: DN
