PM Meloni To Hold First Meetings w/EU Leaders Next Week

The office of new Italian PM Giorgi Meloni has confirmed that she will meet with the presidents of the European Commission, Council, and Parliament in Brussels next Thursday, 3 November.

• The meetings could prove important in setting the tone of Italian-EU relations going forward. Meloni's right-wing nationalist Brothers of Italy (FdI) is a broadly eurosceptic party as are its coalition allies, Deputy PM Matteo Salvini's League. However, the centre-right Forza Italia of former PM Silvio Berlusconi remains strongly pro-EU.
• Meloni has sought to present a moderate face towards the EU, talking up her gov'ts intention to abide by EU fiscal rules, in an effort not to cause tremors in financial markets or risk Italy's access to EU COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Funding.
• In a speech to the Italian parliament earlier this week, Meloni stated her gov't did not intend “to slow down or sabotage European integration but to steer it to be more efficient in its response to crises … and to be closer to people and businesses.” Meloni's stance seen as important given Italy's position as the third-largest eurozone economy, and coming after PM Mario Draghi who garnered significant respect from other European leaders as a committed EU supporter.