Tensions rise between Italy’s deputy prime ministers over Europe vision

6 months ago 20

Italian Transport Minister Matteo Salvini and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani are increasingly at loggerheads over their visions for Europe, as both are part of the same ruling coalition in Italy, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, but belong to rival groups in Brussels – the ID and the EPP.

Tajani, the leader of Forza Italia and vice-president of the EPP, voiced approval of Lega’s backing of the German AfD party’s exclusion from ID. But the former president of the European Parliament stressed that “the problem is not just AfD, but also the Rassemblement National (RN).”

“Le Pen (RN) wants to leave NATO and is certainly not a Europeanist. You cannot think of governing Europe while being against it. How can we agree with those who want to destroy Europe? We stand for NATO and a united Europe,” said Tajani.

Contrary to Meloni’s hope for a right-wing alliance after the June elections, Tajani rather favours an “alliance between EPP, Liberals and Conservatives”.

Salvini responded to Tajani’s comments a few hours later.

“I hope to rebuild the European centre-right, but I believe Tajani is wrong to attack Le Pen. We are working to unite,” he said.

Just a few hours earlier, Lega sources remarked, “It is surprising that our friend Antonio Tajani prefers the warmonger Emmanuel Macron to Marine Le Pen. It is also surprising that he criticised the Lega’s ‘less Europe’ slogan, considering it was also Silvio Berlusconi’s catchphrase for the 25 May 2014 election campaign, when the current Foreign Minister was a European Commissioner.”

Tajani leads Forza Italia, the party founded by the late prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

According to the same sources, Lega “remains steadfast in its belief that the centre-right model, which is successfully governing in Italy, should also be proposed in Brussels”.

(Alessia Peretti | Euractiv.it)