French President Emmanuel Macron promised new Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who received him in Rome hours after her inauguration, to work with her with “dialogue and ambition.”
“As Europeans in neighboring countries, as friendly peoples, we must continue all the work started with Italy … and succeed, together with the dialogue and ambition that we owe to our youth and our peoples,” Macron said.
He added that the first meeting in Rome with Georgia Meloni goes in that direction.
En Européens, en pays voisins, en peuples amis, avec l’Italie nous devrons poursuivre tout le travail engagé. Ensemble Réussir, with dialogues and ambitions, nous le devons à notre jeunesse et à nos peuples. Notre première rencontre à Rome, @GiorgiaMeloniva dans ce sens. pic.twitter.com/njWFLo97b9
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 23, 2022
Meloni y Macron abogaron por colaborar ante “grandes retos” en primer encuentro #CooperativeContigohttps://t.co/IcmIwm8BYvpic.twitter.com/J5e0Uq67yD
— Cooperative (@Cooperativa) October 23, 2022
Prior to the tweet, the French President thanked former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi by tweeting a photo that brought them together.
Macron, who is currently in Rome to attend a peace summit organized by the Catholic Society of Sant’Egidio, is the first foreign leader to meet with Italy’s new prime minister.
Elysee did not reveal any details about Macron’s meeting with Meloni, nor the issues on the table between the two leaders.
Gracie Mario. pic.twitter.com/EQp1vU0NlJ
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 23, 2022
Meloni was sworn in as Italy’s prime minister on Saturday by President Sergio Mattarella and officially took office on Sunday, beginning the term of the most right-wing government since World War II.
Notably, French-Italian relations witnessed harmony during the reign of Mario Draghi, but now they are threatened by tension with the arrival of Meloni, who is nationalistic and skeptical about the possibility of creating a European Union.
Tensions began even before her appointment, when French Minister of State for Europe Laurence Bonn confirmed in early October that Paris would be more vigilant in upholding the values and rule of law in Italy, and Meloni considered the situation an unacceptable threat.
Source: RT+agencies