Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni closes the party event: “I will lead the party lists in all electoral constituencies, if I survive.” And she jokes: “Thanks to Salvini even if he preferred the bridge to us”
“We are facing a decisive battle, we are at a crossroads that does not allow us to back down, everyone needs to do their part and I intend to do mine. I have decided to take the field to lead the Brothers of Italy lists in all the electoral constituencies, if I survive.” Thus the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announces her candidacy for the European Championships from the Fratelli d’Italia event in Pescara.
“We are a coalition that stands together not out of interest but by choice, and you can see it from the results we are bringing home,” the prime minister said in her speech. “Thanks to all the center-right leaders for being here, thanks to Antonio and thanks to Matteo” Salvini, “even if he preferred the bridge to us… I’m obviously joking, I know how important it is to find time and dedicate yourself to your family,” he then joked.
“There still exists a communist party, just to understand where the nostalgics of totalitarianism are in this country,” Meloni said again, recalling that at the 2014 European elections “we just missed the 4% quorum and it was a great disappointmentwhich did not take away our determination, 5 years of battles later we understood that we could become protagonists” and now “we are the first party in Italy”.
“Italy has once again become a protagonist in the West, in Europe, in the Mediterranean after the years of the servility of a certain left, after the years of the circle-bottism of the 5 Stars. Italy is back and respects its international commitments, which is looked at with respect because it has the courage to make right decisions even when those decisions may be unpopular. Like that of supporting the Ukrainian people who are fighting for their freedom against Vladimir Putin’s neo-Soviet imperialism”, said Meloni again.
On the candidacy for the European elections
“I also take to the field to ask Italians if they are satisfied with the work we are doing in Italy, with the work we are doing in Europe – he stated – I do it because in addition to being the president of Fratelli d’Italia I am also the leader of the European conservatives, who want to play a decisive role in changing the direction of European policies. VBy choosing FdI on 8 and 9 June we will vote to give even more strength to our government in Italy and Europe. I do it because I have always considered myself a soldier and soldiers don’t hesitate to take the front line when they have to”.
“We will also defend our excellence, our businesses, our identity, our borders, our sovereignty, our freedom in Europe. This time too they will tell us that we are crazy because it is an impossible challenge to win. It’s already happened. In our history they have many times considered us defeated, they told us that we were hopeless and destined to disappear. Let them say it this time too and while they bask in their reassuring hope, we will continue to work with determination as we always have and who knows if this time too we will be able to disprove the predictions. A year and a half ago we did it. It’s time to up the antelet’s do it again: on 8 and 9 June we will also change Europe”, he said again.
“Someone will try to set up the debate between an alleged Europeanism of the left and an anti-Europeanism of the right, but we have never professed anti-Europeanism and we do not take lessons in Europeanism from the heirs of the Soviet Union, who today want to reform the treaties to have a ‘Federal Europe’, which would translate into ‘transferring more competences from the countries to the European Commission’, he further said.
In any case, “I will not take away a single minute of the government’s activity to campaign on my behalf, I have to think and work for the country”, he then specified. “Since I am not the secretary of the Democratic Party – she added, stinging the Democrats – I am sure that the party will give me a hand in this electoral campaign”.
“I ask Italians to write my name on the card, but my first name. The thing I’m most proud of is that the majority of citizens who address me continue to simply call me Giorgia. I have been mocked for years for my popular roots, they called me fisherman, villager… because then they are cultured, eh. But I am proud to be a person of the people“, underlined the prime minister. “If you want to tell me that you still believe in me – she continued – write Giorgia on the card, because I am and will always be one of you. Power will not change me, the palace will not isolate me. I need to know once again that it’s worth it.”
On the coalition and the government
“We are a coalition that stands together not out of interest but by choice, and you can see it from the results we are bringing home,” the prime minister said in her speech. “Thanks to all the center-right leaders for being here, thanks to Antonio and thanks to Matteo” Salvini, “even if he preferred the bridge to us… I’m obviously joking, I know how important it is to find time and dedicate yourself to your family,” he then joked.
“There still exists a communist party, just to understand where the nostalgics of totalitarianism are in this country,” Meloni said again, recalling that at the 2014 European elections “we just missed the 4% quorum and it was a great disappointmentwhich did not take away our determination, 5 years of battles later we understood that we could become protagonists” and now “we are the first party in Italy”.
“Italy has once again become a protagonist in the West, in Europe, in the Mediterranean after the years of the servility of a certain left, after the years of the circle-bottism of the 5 Stars. Italy is back and respects its international commitments, which is looked at with respect because it has the courage to make right decisions even when those decisions may be unpopular. Like that of supporting the Ukrainian people who are fighting for their freedom against Vladimir Putin’s neo-Soviet imperialism”, said Meloni again.
Salvini connects on the street with children
He connected from the street – in Via del Corso in Rome, near Palazzo Chigi – Matteo Salvini, today the only center-right leader absent from the FdI event in Pescara. “I did the math and this is the last Sunday I could dedicate to my family before June 9th – he said, showing his daughter walking at his side – to my daughter, who has had a fever for 4 days, and to my son great, who has a decisive match today.”
“I say this to journalists: put your soul at rest because the next political elections will be in 2027, not a minute before. This team will continue until the last minute of the days that the Italians have given us to govern the country. Then it is clear that everyone has their own history, their own culture and their own political origin”, said the deputy prime minister via video link.
“We will never give up and we will carry on not only for five years but at least 10 years – he continued -, because I would like to inaugurate the infrastructures we are building today in 2032. No one will question the centre-right, let’s continue like this”
“I am proud of this centre-right because we are managing to do more for Italy now than when we were at 30% with the League but we were in government with the M5S. I am proud of these 18 months in government, regardless of the percentages. From the secretary of the League, I am proud of this center-right because we are doing more for Italy now than what the League was able to do at 30% with the 5 Stars, because that was a composite alliance. This is an alliance that has common values, common ideals and common objectives”, underlined Salvini.
