BBG-Meloni Would Stick To EU Budget Rules If She Becomes PM-Officials

Bloomberg reporting that according to officials familiar with the thinking of right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) leader Giorgia Meloni, she would stick to EU budget rules while retaining reforms required to access EU recovery funds if she ends up leading the next gov't.

• The FdI are vying with the centre-left Democratic Party for top spot in opinion polls ahead of the 25 September general election. However, Meloni looks well set to become the next PM, with the centre-right coalition of the FdI, populist League, and centre-right Forza Italia polling well ahead of their leftist rivals.
• ANSA carrying comments from Meloni to the National Directorate of her party regarding stance on war in Ukraine: "We reiterate that we will be guarantors, without ambiguity, of the Italian position and of the absolute support for the heroic battle of the Ukrainian people. I can say that an Italy led by the Brothers of Italy and the center-right will be a reliable Italy on the international stage".
• Sticking to EU budget rules and staunchly supporting Ukraine against Russia risks a rift with the League of former Deputy PM Matteo Salvini, who has long criticised the EU's fiscal rules and historically has been close to the Putin gov't in Russia. Some speculation Salvini could seek to encourage relaxation of EU sanctions to ease potential energy crisis come winter.