In elections in Russia, the Kremlin clique is always a winner beforehand. Now Putin vassal Medvedev is explaining to the Italians on Telegram how they should vote. The benchmark for his recommendation is what Moscow wants. The call sparked outrage in Rome.
Statements by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that voters in Europe should "punish" their "stupid" governments sparked a debate shortly before the parliamentary elections in Italy about Moscow's possible interference in the elections. "Russian interference" was the headline in the daily newspaper "La Repubblica". Similarly, the headline in Il Messaggero read, while Corriere della Sera wrote: "Russia disrupts Italian election".
In a lengthy post on Telegram, Medvedev wrote on Thursday that Russia "would not only want European citizens to rebel against the actions of their governments," but also "hold them accountable and punish them for their blatant stupidity." "So act, European neighbors! Don't remain silent! Demand accountability!" demanded Medvedev, who is currently Vice Chairman of the Russian Security Council.
Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio condemned the contribution as "Russian interference in the elections in Italy" and called for the Italian parties to oppose it as one. Center-left PD leader Enrico Letta said Moscow was trying to change the direction of Italian foreign policy, which had been "very clearly on the side of the EU and NATO" from the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The government of outgoing Prime Minister Mario Draghi had strongly condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and supported Kyiv with arms deliveries and humanitarian aid.
If, as predicted, a right-wing electoral alliance wins the September 25 general election, Italy's Russia policy could change. While Giorgia Meloni's far-right Fratelli d'Italia has sided with Ukraine, both right-wing populist Matteo Salvini's League and former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia have longstanding ties to Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In 2017, the Lega signed a cooperation pact with Putin's United Russia party.
Salvini, who in the past liked to pose in T-shirts with a portrait of Putin, stressed on Friday that he "had not been to Russia for years". Moscow has "not the slightest influence on the elections in Italy," he said during an appearance in Milan.
