Prime Minister Meloni, interviewed on “Il giorno de La Verità”, says she is “sincerely affected” by Trump’s attacks, but Italian foreign policy will not change. Focus also on the Middle East, immigration and electoral law.
The 3rd edition of “Il Giorno de La Verità” concluded once again in great style, a day that saw ministers and industry executives discuss the main challenges that are reshaping Italy and the West with director Maurizio Belpietro. Just at the end of this day, the director of La Verità and Panorama interviewed Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The argument with Trump
We could only start with the “argument” with Donald Trump, who in recent weeks has stolen the scene of the Italian political debate.
When asked by director Belpietro about the reason for such a frontal attack by Trump, the prime minister admitted that she “wasn’t able to answer, I was sincerely struck”.
There are many reconstructions, but for the prime minister “I don’t know if they can be true, I don’t intend to continue fueling this confrontation”, on the other hand for the prime minister the “bilateral work with the United States must return to normal”.
Meloni therefore confirms that he “will not change his mind” in terms of foreign policy, “I will not change my mind on how fundamental it is to maintain a solid relationship between the United States and Europe”.
Middle East
We therefore moved on to the agreement between Iran and the United States, for which the prime minister says she is “optimistic”.
Meloni identifies three elements to monitor. The first of which is the Iranian nuclear power, “we cannot allow the ayatollah regime to equip itself with nuclear weapons when it also has long-range missiles. We cannot afford it”.
In addition to this, the prime minister identifies the need to create “a solid security architecture”, for which “no country in the region should be left alone”, including the Gulf monarchies.
Finally “the issue of freedom of navigation, which is a very big issue”. “We have seen how much the closure of Hormuz has impacted our economies”, and here Meloni talks about the “precedent that control over the Strait of Hormuz entails”, i.e. a “world in which every fundamental trade hub becomes an instrument of pressure towards states”.
Also for this reason, the Prime Minister confirms Italy’s “availability” for an international mission, “with the consent of Parliament”.
Immigration
Another major theme dear to the Prime Minister and her electorate is the fight against immigration. The new European regulation is proudly claimed by Meloni: “Today we have a regulation on repatriations and on the fight against illegal immigration because there is a centre-right majority”.
A regulation that “changes the approach a lot”, “today we look at the result, if a person does not have the right to stay in Europe they must be repatriated”. “With the new regulation, in the event of an appeal the repatriation procedure is not blocked.”
Meloni also claims the role of “model” for Italy, especially with regard to CPRs in third countries. “Today we are demonstrating that with pragmatism, with determination and with seriousness we can indicate the route”.
Electoral law
Regarding the electoral law, the prime minister maintains that “it is a shame to take a step backwards” in terms of political stability.
For Meloni it is not in fact a “law” that serves “the centre-right”, but “whoever wins the elections to have the numbers to govern. So let the best win” but the reform of the electoral law “is useful to Italy, it would be devastating to go back”.
“The modification of the electoral law essentially does two things”, continues Meloni, “the Prime Minister’s indication and the “majority bonus” for whoever gets one more vote. On the Prime Minister’s indication I can understand that in the broad field I don’t agree because they objectively have a problem of ‘who should we put in it?'”.
Regarding General Vannacci and his Futuro Nazionale party, which is growing strongly in the electoral polls, the prime minister states that “when the elections come, the only thing that will apply is: ‘do you want the centre-right or the broad-right in government?’, only this will count, and questionable polls will no longer be needed”.
“My idea”, concludes the prime minister at the end of her interview, “is that the left talks about it a lot because, not being able to talk about their coalition, they desperately try to say that ours has problems”.
