Giorgia Meloni is at the center of the Economist’s cover dedicated to the European elections this week. The Prime Minister shares the image with Ursula von der Leyen on her right and Marine Le Pen on her left, facing him. According to the British weekly, this is a trio of women who will “shape the Europe of the near future.” The cover is reminiscent of an editorial and an article. “The need for strong and united leadership in Europe has never been greater, we read. Ursula von der Leyen, Giorgia Meloni and Marine Le Pen sum up the dilemma of how to deal with populism”.
In the body of its issue, on newsstands this week, the Economist effectively endorses Ursula von der Leyen’s candidacy for a second term as president of the European Commission. It portrays Meloni as a potentially committed ally to keep Ursula in office as a key partner in the next coalition that will support post-election EU governance. There are grave reservations about Marine Le Pen’s role in giving her a clear credit and vice versa.
The need for strong, united leadership in Europe has never been greater. Ursula von der Leyen, Giorgia Meloni and Marine Le Pen outline the dilemma of how to address populism https://t.co/IeMxOu6CWc pic.twitter.com/Jgp9Dttszf
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) May 30, 2024
Essentially, the thesis of the British weekly is that the two main dangers for Europe in the near future are represented by Vladimir Putin’s Russia, the war in Ukraine and suspicions of cyberattacks, and Donald’s possible return to the US presidency. Embers. All this in a context where “Eurosceptic populists were rising in the polls ahead of the vote.” In this context, according to the British newspaper’s assessment, von der Leyen, described as a “rational German conservative”, deserves a second mandate. The article recalls Giorgia Meloni’s increasing rapprochement with the Commission President and underlines the objections of traditional European political powers to this rapprochement.
At the same time, the weekly magazine praises Meloni for “making common cause with von der Leyen” on the illegal immigration case and for being “a staunch supporter of Ukraine, unlike other colleagues on the populist right”, and describes her leadership in Italy as “a staunch supporter of Ukraine”. “pragmatic” and that she “should not be excluded from the political mainstream in Europe.” However, The Economist describes Marine Le Pen as still far from the political mainstream, long accused of “xenophobia” and ties to Moscow, and a presumptive candidate for the French presidency. The latest route or attempt to link up with Giorgia Meloni at European level sees his rise as a person who, despite corrections, is still marked as a threat.
The Economist attributes a key role to Meloni in Brussels. “If Meloni stands to gain nothing from working with the center, he may be inclined to unite more closely with Le Pen,” the weekly newspaper claimed. An undesirable scenario in the Economist’s eyes and “worth reaching an agreement with Giorgia Meloni to avoid”.
Source: Today IT
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.
