MEE, stability pact, budget law, European elections, international conflicts between Ukraine and the Middle East, but also Sergio Mattarella’s observations on competition law and the latest cases of the investigation into Anas contracts and the shooting at the party Andrea Delmastro’s New Year’s Eve in Biella. Between the future challenges and the balance of the first year of government, Giorgia Meloni is preparing for the press conference at the end of the year, which became the beginning of the year, due to the prime minister’s indisposition. On January 4th, the Prime Minister is, in fact, expected at 11 am at the traditional meeting organized by the order of journalists in the parliamentary groups’ hall at Palazzo Montecitorio. After the days of rest due to the otolith syndrome from which he suffers (which forced the postponement of the conference from December 28th to January 4th; after the first postponement from the 21st to the 28th due to flu), the leader of the Brothers of Italy is working with your team to prepare the meeting with reporters. And it is natural that current issues are at the top of the dossiers under analysis.
What is missing, for example, is a statement from Meloni on the rejection of the ratification of the changes to the MEE and on the consequences that the decision – the ‘no’ from the FdI and the Lega are fundamental – could have on the delicate European balance. The Prime Minister’s assessment of the new EU pact is awaited, which does not provide for the forced relocation of migrants to member countries, but rather financial contributions. And about the budgetary “corrections” that Italy will probably encounter following the rules of the new stability pact. As far as current affairs are strictly concerned, the cases of the investigation led by the Anas and the shooting at Delmastro’s party have dominated the political pages in recent days. Regarding the two cases, although different and distant, Meloni should reiterate the very similar position released in recent days by Fratelli d’Italia: that is, that these are not issues that concern government and politics. In the investigation into Anas contracts, no politician is under investigation, the deputy prime minister of the Northern League, Matteo Salvini, is not involved and the orientation is to “await judicial developments”, it was made known via della Scrofa, rejecting requests for information in the Chamber advanced by the opposition. Although, as far as Biella is concerned, the episode in which FdI deputy Emanuele Pozzolo was involved would not have pleased the prime minister, who should, however, reiterate that it is an incident “without any political relevance”, an “news fact on which the competent authorities will carry out the necessary checks to determine responsibilities”.
On the issue of immigration, Meloni has long recognized that the results obtained “are not what we expected”. With regard to the new EU rules, however, the FdI leader is expected to reiterate that the agreement reached represents a “common sense compromise”, which “for Italy is an improvement compared to past conditions”, because with «less rigid and more realistic rules than those currently in force, which avoid the risk of an automatic return to previous parameters, which would have been unsustainable for many Member States». At Palazzo Chigi the balance of this year of government is positive. Ultra positive at an international level: we went from an initial situation of prudence and skepticism – it can be seen – to a scenario in which the Prime Minister consolidated herself in the main international forums, also thanks to 47 trips abroad, during which she achieved, by December 2023, 34 countries. Palazzo Chigi’s attention to the international and European scene will inevitably be accentuated in the coming months, with the start of the Italian presidency of the G7, the approach of the European vote on June 6th and 9th, and the important international dossiers and appointments, such as the conflicts in course and the US presidential elections.
But Meloni’s eyes are focused above all on Italy and the stability of its majority in the face of the European elections. At Palazzo Chigi they are aware that the coming months will be dominated by an electoral campaign in which each party in the coalition will tend to serve its own “interest”, trying to capitalize on the consensus, even to the detriment of its allies, given the proportional electoral law. The hope is that the campaign will not have too much of an impact on the government’s efficiency and the speed at which measures are approved. Finally, regarding the observations made by the Head of State in the promulgation of the competition law, Riccardo Zucconi addressed the FdI to highlight “how it is always useful and appropriate to listen to the observations of the President of the Republic with due respect and due consideration”. «The Meloni government intervened, also in this field, with seriousness and respect for national and European regulations – he made a point of highlighting -, in the meantime remedying some regulatory disparities that had been created in the field of street commerce, a sector unfortunately objectively in crisis, which runs the risk of disappearing and for which there is certainly no lack of space for competition”.
Source: IL Tempo
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
