Italy’s new prime minister Meloni met Macron

Italy’s new head of government, Giorgia Meloni, met French President Emmanuel Macron in Rome shortly after taking office.

In Sunday evening’s informal conversation, the two discussed the rise in energy prices in Europe, support for Ukraine, the difficult economic situation and migration flows, according to a statement from the Italian government Monday evening.

The 45-year-old party leader of the far-right Fratelli d’Italia and the 44-year-old head of state of France agreed to continue working together on common challenges at the European level and to protect common national interests.

Macron wrote on Twitter that France and Italy should continue the work begun. The two countries owe it to their young people and their people to do this with dialogue and ambition. The meeting with Meloni went in this direction.

Meloni, along with her right-wing government, took over official business in Rome on Sunday. Macron traveled to the Italian capital on Monday for his audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican. On Sunday evening he was also at an event of the Catholic Association of the Faithful Sant’Egidio in the “Eternal City”.

The media had already expected an informal meeting between Melonis and Macron. Under Meloni’s predecessor Mario Draghi, France and Italy signed an agreement at the end of 2021 that should strengthen cooperation between the two countries. (aeg/sda/dpa)