The winner of the election, Giorgia Meloni, will most likely soon be Italy's new prime minister. In her first public speech after the election, she invokes nationalism. In the future, Italy's self-interests should take precedence over those of the EU.
According to Giorgia Meloni, who is expected to be the next Prime Minister, Italy will in future focus more on its own concerns. The right-wing politician announced this in her first public speech after winning the parliamentary elections almost a week ago. "Italy must go back to defending its national interests first," Meloni said in Milan. "That will change in the coming months."
The party leader of the far-right Fratelli d'Italia added that this does not mean a negative attitude towards others, but a positive attitude towards oneself. Meloni thinks that Italy allows itself to be bossed around by European partners and Brussels and does not have equal rights. She also made this claim during the election campaign and then, last Sunday, won an absolute majority in parliament as the strongest party in a right-wing alliance.
It pursues a nationalist and protectionist policy. Meloni said that other countries in Europe also put their own interests ahead of those of the EU. This can be seen as criticism of the federal government, which is putting together an aid package of up to 200 billion euros for the Germans in the fight against the energy crisis. In Italy, this was interpreted as a lack of solidarity - even by Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
Meloni had not appeared publicly for days after the election night and claimed that she wanted to work undisturbed and concentrate on the pressing problems. Only in the next few weeks is she likely to receive a mandate from the President to form a government. At her first appearance as a guest at an event hosted by the Coldiretti agricultural association, the 45-year-old emphasized that the fight against high costs is currently a priority.
Meloni said that states should not simply compensate for inflation by helping their citizens. "Because then we give the money to the speculators," said the politician, adding: "We have to fight speculation." Before the performance, Meloni met with her ally Silvio Berlusconi from the Forza Italia party. In addition, there is the Lega of Matteo Salvini in the legal alliance. This week, Italy has been speculating heavily on how ministries will be divided among the three parties. Meloni did not give any details about this.
