Bari, 15 June. (Adnkronos)-In the past you defined yourself as a marathon runner, but in reality the obstacle course is the discipline to which Giorgia Meloni seems most accustomed. Having overcome the barrier of the G7 – “a success and I say this without fear of denial”, she boasts in the press conference that closes the summit in Borgo Egnazia – the Prime Minister is already aiming for the next obstacle to jump: the negotiation on the new structures of the European summits , in which she ‘sees’ Italy as a protagonist. Meloni herself explains that Rome is not willing to settle, questioned by journalists – annoyed by the limited number of questions in the press conference – on the possibility of her supporting Ursula Von Der Leyen in Europe. The coldness between the two at the top of Borgo Egnazia did not go unnoticed, the hugs and warmth of the past now memories of the past.
Tomorrow Meloni will fly to Switzerland, to Burgenstock, to take part in the work of the Conference on reconstruction in Ukraine, then on Monday the informal dinner awaits him between the leaders of the European Council to find a solution for future arrangements. First of all, the name of the next president of the European Commission, from which all the other appointments will come in cascade. Von Der Leyen, who before the vote at the beginning of June saw her chances in free fall, seems to be back on track again. What will Meloni do, lend a crutch or hinder his run? The choice of candidate “is up to the EPP: when the proposal arrives, we will obviously make our assessments”, replies the Prime Minister regarding the People’s Party’s spitzenkandidat.
“The first two issues that interest me, as the Italian government, are – he makes it clear – 1: that Italy is recognized for the role it deserves; 2: that Europe understands the message that has arrived from EU citizens”. And which have generated an earthquake in the European balance, with the Belgian Alexander De Croo forced to step back in tears, Emmanuel Macron to ‘call’ the elections, Olaf Scholz increasingly in trouble in Berlin.
And it is precisely the French President and the German Chancellor who are pushing to close the ‘top jobs’ on Monday, fearing that a result will come out of the French polls that will make the game even more difficult and the wind of the sovereignists stronger. On the contrary, and it is no coincidence that Italy is willing to stall: “for us it is not a prejudicial” to wait for the French elections at the beginning of July, replies Meloni to a question, confirming the line already anticipated by Antonio Tajani.
What matters, for her, is to make a change of pace, because “if we want to draw lessons from the vote in the European elections ‘that everything was fine’ it would be a slightly distorted reading”. Words, hers, which could also apply to the reconfirmation of Von Der Leyen. But which, above all, underline that the prime minister is not willing to have her line dictated by a Franco-German-led Europe, because Macron and Scholz, by force of circumstances, will sit at the table in Brussels with weapons drawn.
Going to checkers will be very difficult. Puglia and the climate of apparent serenity among the leaders in Borgo Egnazia seem to have already been archived. Olaf Scholz, who only yesterday celebrated his 66th birthday among the olive trees while the Big 7 sang ‘happy birthday’, today says goodbye to the prime minister: “it is no mystery” that Meloni “is at the extreme right of the political spectrum” . There are “quite obvious differences which also mean that we work in very different party families. When it comes to Europe, for example, I believe it is very important that the future President of the Commission can count on the traditional democratic parties of the European Parliament: the EPP, the Social Democrats and the Liberals. After the results of the European elections I think it can work.”
But, numbers in hand, the majority indicated by Scholz is worth 406 votes and would guarantee a very precarious balance given the historically high incidence of snipers in Strasbourg, estimated between 10 and 15%. Ursula, or whoever she is, will need a ‘help’, which could come from the Greens, the most likely option, but also from the ranks of the ECR led by Meloni. That, in exchange, she would be entitled to raise the stakes, aiming for a ‘weighty’ commissioner for Italy, possibly with an economic portfolio given Rome’s difficulties with the accounts.
However, the Prime Minister could aim even higher – “recognize Italy’s role”, her words echo – by trying to obtain one of the 5 top jobs on the table in Brussels, that of the High Representative for European foreign policy. All the clues lead to the name of Elisabetta Belloni, among the undisputed protagonists of the G7 in Puglia. In Borgo Egnazia, she jokes with those who already ‘see’ her on the European command deck: “My name? They only put it when there is a space to fill…”.
For now there is certainly the Prime Minister’s satisfaction with the G7 ‘directed’ by Belloni. “Italy – stated Meloni in the press conference – has once again demonstrated its ability to be capable of organizing events of this extraordinary importance. We often forget what we are capable of, but today it is right to underline it because it is there for everyone to see.”
The prime minister, pressed by reporters, also returns to the two ‘incidents’ that have cast shadows on ‘her’ G7: the controversy over abortion, with Macron’s alleged trip, and that over LGBT rights. After reiterating that she does not want to change law 194, she brands the matter of the absence of the word ‘abortion’ in the final conclusions of the summit as “artificial, in fact it did not exist in the summit, in our discussions, precisely because there was nothing to argue about.” As for the rights of the ‘rainbow’ community, “no step backwards was taken” in the summit of the greats like in Rome, he assures: “in two years Italy has not” retreated “on LGBT rights”, net of “the story distorted that was done.”
For the rest, Meloni confirms his commitment alongside Ukraine, forcefully reiterated by the G7: proof of this is the “historic” agreement on the loan guaranteed by the profits of Russian assets. The peace proposal from Vladimir Putin “seems to me more like a propaganda initiative than a real negotiation proposal”: “if he wants peace, Putin must withdraw his troops from Ukraine”. The prime minister emphatically celebrates the summit’s interest in Africa, the commitment to migrants, the presence of the pontiff at the summit, a presence that has made the G7 a “historic” event, destined to be remembered.
The tussle in the Chamber over autonomy, which leads Meloni to reproach the members of the majority who fell “into the provocations” of those who “should show more respect for the institutions”, did not “manage to ruin the excellent outcome of this summit”. For which the prime minister thanks Belloni, the leaders of the G7, the team that worked alongside her but even before that the people of Puglia, who “were far beyond the height of the task. It was the best response that could be given to the usual prejudices that we read in some parts of the international press.”
“Someone may have arrived with an idea, I am sure that everyone left with another idea. The strength of this region – underlines Meloni, closing the press conference with a special thank you addressed to Puglia – is in its capacity and its connection with traditions. Last night when the summit ended I wanted an entirely traditional Apulian evening”.
“There were the panzerotti – he says with a smile -, there were the artisans, there were the ladies who made the orecchiette by hand, there was the taranta, there were the illuminations. There was Puglia. C It was Puglia as we know it. I’m really proud to have seen the leaders of the G7 remain amazed by the flavors, the tastes and the identity of the territory. Seeing the greats of the world talking about global challenges in a village it seems like a fair summary to me, because we must forget that it is our identity that has made the civilization we are. I think the message has arrived loud and clear and I am sure that several leaders will return to take their holidays in these parts”. In Puglia, land of sun and wind, of olive trees and white stone, ‘land of where the earth ends’, as an old tune by Vinicio Capossela says that resonates in the coaches of reporters leaving Borgo Egnazia. (by Ileana Sciarra)
