by Alessia Peretti
Italian Prime Minister and ECR leader Giorgia Meloni is seen as re-elected US President Donald Trump’s "natural interlocutor" in Europe, a fellow member of Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia and ECR Secretary-General, Antonio Giordano told Euractiv.
He also believes her strong leadership and ability to engage with Trump could influence his approach to migration, potentially drawing inspiration from remote processing centres.
Giordano expressed this opinion back in August and reiterated it while speaking to Euractiv after Trump’s victory, explaining two main reasons for this view.
In addition to believing that Meloni is someone who can be reasoned with and who can bring people around to her point of view through dialogue and understanding, Giordano says that her status makes her "the most stable leader in Europe", as demonstrated by the results of the EU elections in June.
Years ago, Meloni regularly attended US political events where Trump spoke, praising him as an inspiration for Italian politics. She even invited Trump’s former strategic adviser, Steve Bannon, to speak at the Fratelli d’Italia party conference in 2018.
However, since becoming prime minister, Meloni’s stance has shifted to a more moderate, pro-European, and Atlanticist approach, according to analysts, who some say American Republicans may find frustrating.
Giordano, who attended the Republican National Convention this summer as a representative of Fratelli d’Italia, believes Trump will have "no doubt" about Meloni’s stance based on her actions.
Migration policy is another key point.
"When they ask me if Trump will influence the government’s migration policy, I believe it will be exactly the opposite," Giordano explains.
Giordano added that the new US president could even draw inspiration from Italy’s Mattei Plan, which aims to stimulate growth in border regions.
He added that Trump could also consider adopting the idea of remote migrant processing centres, which offer a more efficient system than handling migration within the country’s borders.
In addition to her long-standing relationship with Trump’s Republican circles, Meloni has also recently strengthened ties with Elon Musk, who Trump has chosen to lead the "drastic reforms" of the US government.
"In his introductory speech, Trump calls Elon Musk a genius. Musk speaks out in such clear terms, and at the same time, Musk has an excellent relationship with Meloni. It’s a snapshot, a picture, right? What happens next remains to be seen, but it’s certainly a great snapshot", Giordano added.
*first published in: Euractiv.com
By: N. Peter Kramer
