By attacking Poland and Hungary, the Italian left is diverting attention from the most urgent problems in the European Union, said Giorgia Meloni, president of the conservative Brothers of Italy party (FdI), who made the comments while debating with her number one political rival, Enrico Letta, secretary general of the Democratic Party (PD), on the Corriere della Sera internet television channel on Monday.
Regarding the European Union, Giorgia Meloni believes that anyone who tries to formulate constructive criticism will immediately be called a sovereignist and anti-European. However, recent years have pointed out the weak points of the EU, first with the coronavirus epidemic and then as a result of the shock caused by the war in Ukraine. Meloni said that the EU should deal with the really important issues, as Europe is currently a “political dwarf and bureaucratic giant,” while it should be the other way around.
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She also noted that the left calls Poland and Hungary “the bad guys of Europe,” while it is Germany that refuses to enact a gas price cap due to its advantageous contracts concluded with Russia, with which Berlin buys gas at a third of the price compared to Italy.
Giorgia Meloni said the left brings up Hungary with its 10 million people as a permanent point of criticism while not saying a word about Germany, which defines the European economy, since Chancellor Olaf Scholz is a socialist. Meloni called the Italian left’s attack on Eastern European countries unacceptable. According to the left, these countries are “second-class,” with Meloni quoting Letta’s recent statements from last week in which he said Hungary and Poland were “second-class EU nations.”
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According to Meloni, the Polish and Hungarian governments were right to oppose migrant quotas, with many of the illegal migrants arriving in Italy without inspection. The right-wing politician added that France and Germany were the first to turn back illegal immigrants from Italy.
As a solution, she called for an EU naval blockade against migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
“We cannot allow traffickers to decide who enters our country,” said Meloni.
According to the latest polls, Meloni’s FdI party stands at around 25 percent, and the right-wing coalition it leads stands at 46 percent. The PD has slightly more than 20 percent support, while its alliance does not reach 30 percent.
Meloni has been drawing large crowds at demonstrations across Italy, with her latest rally in Milan attracting thousands.
Political analysts believe it is likely that she will be the next prime minister of Italy — and the first female prime minister in the nation’s history. However, the EU greatly fears Meloni taking power due to her position on migration, LGBT issues, and the traditional family unit, as well as her stance on countries like Hungary and Poland.
