Italy Meloni pushes for leadership role in Europe
With Donald Trump's return to the White House, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is pushing for a central leadership role in Europe.
09.01.2025, 16:01
SDA
The right-wing head of government announced that she wants to be present when Trump is inaugurated for the second time in Washington on January 20 after a four-year break. She described her relationship with the future US president as "very solid", which could also benefit Europe as a whole. At the same time, she defended Trump against criticism from other EU capitals.
The leader of the right-wing governing party Fratelli d'Italia (Brothers of Italy) has - together with Hungary's head of government Viktor Orban - the best contacts in the Republican camp within the EU. Just last weekend, she paid a surprise lightning visit to his private estate Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Trump praised her as a "fantastic woman".
Bridge builder or cheerleader?
At a press conference in Rome at the start of the new year, Meloni made it clear that she can well imagine a role as a "bridge builder" across the Atlantic - especially as the right-wing camp has also made significant gains in other European countries. At home, however, there is also criticism from the opposition that she is acting like a cheerleader for Trump.
Meloni defended herself against such accusations by saying that she also had an "optimal relationship" with outgoing US President Joe Biden.
If there is now even more agreement between two conservatives, this could mean added value for both Italy and the EU as a whole. At the same time, she confirmed that she had received a personal invitation from Trump to attend the inauguration. "I would be delighted to be there."
Meloni defends Trump against criticism from Berlin and Paris
The Prime Minister also defended Trump against criticism over his recent territorial claims to other countries. In doing so, she clearly struck a different tone to Berlin and Paris, who had expressed great concern.
Meloni said: "As far as Greenland and Panama are concerned, I think it is out of the question that the USA will try to annex territories by force in the next few years."
Trump's comments were "more of a message to some other important global players", she added, referring to China and Russia. Meloni spoke of a "powerful way of saying that the US will not stand idly by as other major global players move in areas of strategic interest to the US".
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, on the other hand, emphasized that international borders should not be moved by force. The French government also made harsh remarks.
Prime Minister: USA will not give up on Ukraine
Meloni also expressed her conviction that the USA would not give up on Ukraine in its defensive struggle against Russia. "Trump has the ability to balance diplomacy and deterrence. I predict that it will be the same this time." There are major concerns in Kiev that Trump will let Ukraine fall after three years of war.
The right-wing politician also defended the billionaire Elon Musk, with whom she has a friendly relationship, against criticism. With regard to the Trump adviser's endorsement of the AfD ahead of the German parliamentary elections, she said that Musk was "no threat to democracy". The Italian government is currently in talks with Musk's SpaceX company about a billion-euro contract for secure communication services.
Spiderman also plays a role
The 47-year-old also commented on the fact that she was named the most powerful person in Europe by Politico magazine before the turn of the year. She herself was "a little worried" by this.
In her view, there was no point in holding competitions between European heads of state and government. "But as Spiderman says: with great power comes great responsibility."
Meloni has led a coalition of three right-wing and conservative parties in Rome since October 2022. In her youth, she was a member of a neo-fascist movement. During the election campaign, she was not sparing in her criticism of the EU.
In her time in office so far, she has pursued a European course. In the polls, her Fratelli party is ahead of all other political forces with around 28%.
