Atlantic alliance, EU values, sanctions against Moscow. Giorgia Meloni (45) gave support and partnership to the western world during the election campaign. Emmanuel Macron (44) in particular hoped for good bilateral relations with the first Italian head of government. But just three weeks after Melonis took office, the neighbors are already faced with a diplomatic mess. Reason: the refugee policy of the new right-wing government in Rome.
Both countries want the EU to cut gas prices and provide additional billions in loans against their own energy and economic crisis – a new aid package that some EU countries, including powerful Germany, are rejecting. Macron opted for a strategic alliance with Italy. And so the French president was also the first foreign head of state to visit the newly appointed prime minister in Rome.
Refugee ships thwart Macron .’s plans
Then four refugee rescue ships appear in Italy. And the world, led by Emmanuel Macron, is being reminded of who Giorgia Meloni really is: the leader of the far-right “Brothers of Italy” and head of a right-wing populist coalition.
The new government closes the ports for the rescue ships. Most on board are not persecuted, but immigrants, the reasoning goes. After protests across Europe, three of the ships are finally allowed to dock “for humanitarian reasons”. However, the Ocean Viking of the organization SOS Méditerranée is sent away. The ship with 234 people rescued from distress sets sail for France. It is allowed to dock in Toulon on Friday morning. The boat refugees are distributed among France, Germany and other EU countries.
Thank you letter causes a scandal
In a public letter, the Italian government thanks France for “the decision to share responsibility for the refugee crisis, which Italy and some other Mediterranean countries have had to bear alone”.
Paris reacts angrily. The admission of the Ocean Viking was a one-off gesture, emphasizes the French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin (40) immediately, Italy acted inhumanely. In June, a solidarity pact was concluded at an EU conference providing for the voluntary distribution of refugees to EU countries. According to this data, France and Germany each wanted to take in 3,500 refugees from Italy this year.
That’s over now, Darmanin explained immediately. Germany and the other EU countries must also put the mechanism on hold, the French interior minister demands. In addition, Gérald Darmanin sent 500 police officers to the ten border crossings with Italy to prevent the entry of refugees from Italy.
The cause for the great excitement: President Emmanuel Macron lost an absolute majority in the parliamentary elections in June 2022 and now has to deal with a strong right-wing populist opposition, Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National (54). Dealing with refugees is therefore a political tightrope for Macron.
For Giorgia Meloni, the scandal comes at an unimaginably bad time. Italy is struggling with the aftermath of the corona lockdowns, is heavily in debt and urgently needs further financial injections from the EU. But when it comes to refugees, the new government remains tough. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi (54) demands that the countries under whose flag the rescue ships cross are responsible for the boat people. Seizing NGO ships docking in Italy and indicting their captains is being reconsidered.