From France to the USA, the reactions of foreign leaders to the Italian elections

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The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has launched an appeal to Rome to “continue working together”, as countries that are “neighbors and friends” and as “Europeans”. The Italian people – Macron observed – «made a democratic and sovereign choice. We respect it ». And why shouldn’t France be like that? The note from the Elysée, commenting on the result of the elections won by Giorgia Meloni, perhaps also came to set the record straight, and to send an “official” message from the French company.

Because in the morning, for example, the mayor of Paris, the socialist Anne Hidalgo, wrote on Twitter: “Victory of the extreme right-wing neo-fascist parties in Italy: a sad day for Europe, which takes us back to the dark moments of its history”. And she had thus launched “an appeal for a new impetus and the unshakable mobilization of the Democrats to defeat the populism that threatens us.”

But above all the French prime minister Elisabeth Borne said on TV that “we will be careful, with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, to ensure that these values ​​of human rights, mutual respect, in particular respect for the right to abortion, are respected by all” .

He echoed her – on Twitter – the former French president, Francois Hollande, fearing the danger: «The victory of the far right in Italy is both a threat to fundamental rights and a risk of paralysis for Europe. It is a warning. In the political confusion and with the cancellation of parties, what happens in Italy can take place in France ».
On the contrary, the leader of the Rassemblement National, Marine Le Pen, rushed to congratulate: “The Italian people have decided to take their destiny in hand by electing a patriotic and sovereign government. Congratulations to Giorgia Meloni and Matteo Salvini for having resisted the threats of an undemocratic and arrogant European Union by obtaining this great victory ».

In the EU they also rejoiced in Hungary, Poland and Sweden. He toasted the Polish premier Mateusz Morawiecki, exponent of the right-wing Law and Justice party (“Congratulations Giorgia Meloni!”). And also the Hungarian premier Viktor Orban (remarking on Facebook “A more than deserved victory. Congratulations!” And again: “Bravo, Giorgia!”). After his political advisor Balázs Orbán had already pointed out in a tweet that: “In these difficult times, we need more than ever friends who share a common vision and approach to the challenges of Europe”. While the Czech premier Petr Fiala, in addition to congratulating Giorgia Meloni, wrote that he can’t wait “to cooperate in the future on European policies and in the Ecr Group” (ie the group of European conservatives and reformists, the community political formation to which both leaders belong).