The pro-Ukrainian government of technocrat Mario Draghi is being replaced by far-right Putin fans. What can Ukraine expect?
The far right has won the parliamentary elections in Italy. The populist party Brothers of Italy, led by George Meloni, received more than a quarter of the vote. Having gained the greatest support among representatives of the center-right coalition, Meloni became the main contender for the position of prime minister. In terms of coalitions, the far right, with League Matteo Salvini and Forward Italy Silvio Berlusconi, who is close to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, gets more than 44 percent. Center-left – about 26.5 percent.
The third economy of the European Union will soon be led by a representative party, which experts call neo-fascists or post-fascists. One of its predecessor parties was openly neo-fascist. Irritating statements of the Brothers of Italy periodically appear in the press – from a direct recognition of their fascist views to the cautious formula familiar to modern Italy, “Mussolini did something good.” Descendants of Hitler’s allies have recently participated in various elections, certainly with the support of the Italian Brothers. Correspondent.net gathered press opinion.
Replacing Draghi with Meloni would damage Italy’s reputation
Corriere della Sera, Italy
It cannot be ignored that this new phase is seen outside our country as a danger, and some governments even consider it as a trauma. There are fears that the results of the Italian elections, following the Swedish ones, will cause a domino effect on political alliances in European countries and lead to an increase in a favorable attitude towards Russia – due to the fact that the League and Forward, the Italian parties are now present in the coalition.
Neo-fascists at the helm in Italy. Europe must prepare
El País, Spain
This is the second time Europe has stepped into uncharted territory. The first time this happened was because of Brexit… Never before has a government in a Western European country been led by a neo-fascist right that openly displays its anti-European skepticism and militant national populism.. .
However, the very fact that Europe is facing something completely new does not mean that control mechanisms do not exist: many tranches from EU funds have not yet been transferred …
It is clear that Italy is moving to the right, which means that Europe must tighten its mechanisms of control over those who seek to destabilize the EU itself.
What to expect for Ukraine, the EU and Russia
BBC News, Britain
Outgoing Prime Minister Draghi has both hands for sanctions against Russia and aid to Ukraine. Salvini and Berlusconi is another matter. They are old Russophiles. They are connected to Putin both through close friendship and open worship. However, both publicly disowned the Russian leader as soon as he sent an army to kill Ukrainians and seize their lands.
Berlusconi, however, almost ran into trouble three days before the election. He said that his old Russian friend was pushed into the war by the environment and Russian society, and that Putin himself allegedly only wanted to change the government in Ukraine to “decent people” and then quickly withdraw the troops.
There was a commotion so Berlusconi rushed to explain, saying they had mistaken me. And he issued a statement: “The aggression against Ukraine is unjustified and unacceptable. The position of my party is clear. We are always on the side of the EU and NATO.”
Salvini is almost half the age of 85-year-old Berlusconi. He was never a personal friend of Putin, but was known as an admirer. Now it’s different.
“My opinion about Putin has changed because of the war. Because when someone starts bombing, sending tanks, invading a foreign country, it’s a completely different thing,” Salvini said in an interview with Bloomberg a week before the election.
How about Meloni? In all the interviews, he said that he considers Russia and China as enemies of the West and is ready to fight them with all his might. He has no sympathy for Putin and will support the current policy of the EU and NATO towards Russia and aid to Ukraine.
Even in opposition, Meloni always voted for sanctions against Russia, said Italy’s former ambassador to NATO, Stefano Stefanini. “There is no reason for him to change his position after coming to power,” he told BBC News…
A right turn in Italy does not promise an easy life for the European Union. In recent decades, centrists and socialists have dominated there, and countries where the right is at the helm have played the role of a thorn in the side. Let’s remember Viktor Orban in Hungary and the Polish conservatives.
Moreover, opponents of migrants and European integration who are close to them in spirit have just entered the ruling coalition in Sweden, and he will be next in line for the EU presidency.
The issue of the split is obvious, and it was asked of the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, a few days before the Italian elections. He replied to the effect that we would work with any democratically elected government, but if an attack on freedoms and democracy begins, then “we have the tools” – and nodded to Poland and Hungary, which the EU has already cut funding due to the prosecution of the opposition, judges, the press and universities.
All this chaos is about to subside
Onet, Poland
In Italy, as a rule, everything is arranged in such a way that the most ardent critic of the incumbent government quickly gains great popularity, wins (usually early) the elections, and then just as quickly loses popularity , because reality does not allow him to realize that the promises of the campaign are clearly impossible.
In this case, the government has resigned, and now a new sweet-voiced cloak is in charge – and the masses are mesmerized by his chatter. This kind of defeat at one time cost seats to two of Meloni’s partners in the nationalist coalition – Berlusconi and Salvini.
If for Russia, we became for Ukraine
CurrentTime, USA
The leader of the party, George Meloni, in his youth was a member of the Italian Social Movement, an organization created in 1946 by veterans of the fascist party Benito Mussolini … The matured Meloni moved to the People of Freedom with Silvio Berlusconi and at 31 became Minister of Youth Affairs in his government.
The current views of the Brothers of Italy are quite radical even for right-wing parties, but do not go beyond national conservatives and traditionalists. The party’s motto: “God, country and family” – describes them accurately.
The brothers of Italy are against the recognition of gay marriages and civil unions of gay couples… They also do not want to simplify the procedures related to abortion, but not against the very possibility of abortion.
The party has a clear anti-immigrant policy, opposes the broad granting of citizenship to legal immigrants, and believes that illegal immigrants should be deported…
In international affairs, the party initially adhered to a “rational” position. Unconditionally supporting NATO and strengthening Italy’s role in Europe, he advocated maintaining relations with Russia.
Moreover, researchers consider it one of the most pro-Russian parties in Europe. However, immediately after the start of the Russian war against Ukraine, the Brothers of Italy sided with Ukraine and remained in these positions.
Italy will not change towards Ukraine
DW, Germany
Aldo Ferrari, head of the Russia, Caucasus and Central Asia Studies Program at the Institute for International Policy Studies (ISPI) in Milan, said Italy’s position on Russia and Rome’s support for Kyiv should not be expected to change.
The political scientist believes that neither the pro-Russian parties, nor Italy, as a member of the EU, has the political weight to question the EU’s sanctions against the Russian Federation or the supply of arms to Kyiv. Ferrari recalled that Salvini, during the last election campaign, advocated the lifting of sanctions against Moscow, but, having gained power, “did nothing in this direction” …
How the war in Ukraine develops is also important, said Natalie Tocci, director of the Institute of International Relations in Rome. According to him, the effectiveness of arms supplies and sanctions is more and more obvious, and it is more and more difficult to oppose them: “I do not see that Italy will change its course regarding the war in Ukraine under the new government.”
A similar forecast was given by Ferrari. In his opinion, among the far-right voters there are those who sympathize with “a strong leader like Putin, but this is not enough for a different policy towards Russia.”
Although pro-Russian sentiment is strong in Italian society, including due to the negative impact of economic sanctions, Ferrari notes that such sentiments have no political representation – “all parties support Ukraine.”
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.