Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has warned that Europe cannot survive by drowning itself in excessive regulations and that only by cracking down on illegal migration and human trafficking can the EU truly protect lives and its own stability.
Taking to the floor of the Senate on Tuesday for the first time in three months, the Italian premier outlined her government’s priorities on economic competitiveness, migration, international security, and the war in Ukraine.
“If Europe thinks it can survive in this phase by continuing to claim to hyper-regulate everything instead of freeing up the many energies it has, it will simply not survive,” she warned, speaking ahead of the European Council meeting in Brussels later this week.
She stressed that her government would do everything possible “to prevent the EU from being suffocated by its own rules.”
Meloni emphasized the importance of economic competitiveness, which she defined as the ability of nation-states to “offer adequate and increasingly better social services to citizens.” More broadly, she argued that economic strength is essential for geopolitical influence, asking: “A Europe desertified from an industrial point of view and lagging behind in research and development of new technologies — how is it supposed to be taken seriously?”
On trade policy, Meloni warned against excessive tariffs, noting that while duties on non-EU goods “can theoretically favor domestic production, in a highly interconnected context such as that of the European and U.S. economies, the picture becomes complicated.” She urged against the European Commission from imposing retaliatory trade measures against U.S. President Donald Trump, warning such a move would create a “vicious circle in which everyone loses.”
Meloni also addressed migration, reiterating her government’s commitment to reducing illegal departures and human trafficking networks. “Reducing departures and crushing the business of traffickers is the only way to reduce the number of migrants who lose their lives in the attempt to reach Italy and Europe,” she told lawmakers. She also noted that efforts being made by her government — including the third-country deal with Albania now being considered at a pan-European level — “should make us more proud.”
Turning to security, the right-wing leader called for a broader approach to European defense, stating: “We need to deal with many more things than the strengthening of arsenals — the fight against terrorism, border defense, and cybersecurity.”
“Without defense, there is no security, and without security, there is no freedom,” she added.
Meloni was critical of the EU’s proposed ReArm Europe initiative, an €800 billion plan announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last week aimed at boosting European defense capabilities. She found the initiative’s name misleading, arguing that “it does not mean trivially buying armaments, first of all, because it is not a question of buying them from foreign countries, but rather of producing them.”
Addressing the ongoing war in Ukraine, Meloni reaffirmed Italy’s unwavering support for Kyiv, stating: “Firm and total condemnation of the brutal aggression against Ukraine and support for the Ukrainian people has never been in question.”
She suggested that the current entrenchment of military positions could pave the way for peace talks, asserting: “It is the stalemate on the ground that today can lead to peace negotiations, and I think we should proudly claim compact and determined support for the Ukrainian people.” She also welcomed diplomatic efforts by former U.S. President Donald Trump to seek a resolution to the conflict.
On broader transatlantic relations, Meloni rejected the notion that Italy must choose between Europe and the United States, criticizing those who promote this idea: “Those who obsessively repeat that Italy should choose between Europe and the United States do so instrumentally, for reasons of domestic controversy or because they have not realized that the American election campaign is over.”
She dismissed claims that increasing defense spending in Italy would come at the expense of social services, calling this argument a “gross simplification.” Instead, she blamed past mismanagement for financial shortfalls: “Those who support this claim know they are deceiving citizens because there are currently no more resources for health, school, or welfare — not because we spend money on defense, but because hundreds of billions have been burned for inadequate measures.”
