Giorgia Meloni. Facebook/Reddit screenshot of poll showing most Italians against arming Ukraine.
Giorgia Meloni calls for a naval blockade off Libya
Like every summer, a massive influx of asylum seekers is spurring on the political discussion in Italy. And the issue is once again grist to the mills of the right-wing opposition. Just a few years ago, Matteo Salvini, then Interior Minister of the Lega, was able to count on the approval of an overwhelming majority of Italians for his rigid measures against illegal immigration.
Published: August 12, 2022, 10:01 am
Currently the chairwoman of Fratelli d’Italia, Giorgia Meloni, is benefiting from the situation. She makes no secret of the fact that if she wins the early parliamentary elections in September she is aiming for the post of head of government.
Meloni has been making a name for herself by calling for a ship blockade off the Libyan coast to deal with the current influx of migrants. “The best solution to the problem of migration is to block departures,” Meloni said in an interview with Italian radio station 102-5.
“Many claim that a naval blockade cannot be carried out because it is similar to an act of war. Why has the EU never attempted to negotiate with Libya to agree a stop-departure?” Meloni wanted to know. She spoke out in favor of setting up hotspots in Africa to decide who has the right to come to Europe as an asylum seeker. “You can negotiate with the Libyan authorities,” Meloni explained.
Meloni is eyeing top post
Her party, Fratelli d’Italia, which, unlike Lega and Forza Italia, was not involved in the recent disastrous government coalition under the resigning Prime Minister Draghi, is currently the strongest single party in the centre-right bloc according to the latest polls. Should the centre-right coalition win the general election on September 25 and the Fratelli d’Italia emerge as the strongest single party, Meloni is entitled to the post of prime minister.
“The rules are well known in the centre-right camp. The party that receives the most votes in the coalition proposes the name of the prime minister. That name will be me if Fratelli d’Italia emerges from the elections as the strongest single party,” said Meloni.
The centre-right camp made up of Meloni’s FdI, Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia and ex-Interior Minister Salvini’s Lega are currently way ahead in polls. According to polls, the Fratelli d’Italia could get 23 percent of the votes.
Illegal immigrants equals right-wing votes
Thus, for the Italian right-wing, the massive influx of illegal immigrants is a boon. Not only Giorgia Meloni, but the former Italian interior minister and Lega leader Salvini is also focusing on the problem of asylum seekers.
Salvini even paid a visit to the island of Lampedusa, which is the first port of call on EU territory for many illegal immigrants. He previously declared: “Italy cannot take in tens of thousands of immigrants who will only bring problems. Italy is not the refugee camp of Europe.”
Salvini accused the government in Rome of trying to cover up the problem before his arrival. AFP journalists saw around 200 asylum seekers board a ferry to Sicily while the reception center was being cleaned up, apparently a cosmetic measure before Salvini’s arrival.
When he was interior minister in 2019, Salvini, as part of his “closed ports” policy, prevented so-called aid ships carrying migrants from going ashore in Italy. In polls, Salvini’s Lega is currently around 13 percent – behind the 23 percent of the Fratelli d’Italia.
Meanwhile, there are no signs of the influx subsiding. The Interior Ministry in Rome has counted more than 42 000 arrivals so far this year, up from almost 30 000 in the same period in 2021. Thousands of new illegal migrants are arriving almost weekly, most with the help of ostensible “sea rescuers”.
Matteo Salvini speaking with voters. Facebook/Giorgia Meloni holding up a placard demanding snap elections. Facebook
The left is playing the Russia card to divide conservatives
Because political observers believe it is likely that the right-wing bloc of Fratelli d’Italia, Lega and Forza Italia will win Italy’s snap parliamentary elections and form the next Italian government, there are already many outraged comments on the left and in the media.
Meloni is therefore trying to dispel fears in advance. In a video message in three languages, she has now assured that her party will not pose a threat to the US or Ukraine if she comes to power. In the video message, available in English, French and Spanish, Meloni called fears about her party’s post-fascist roots “nonsense” and said such views were “inspired by powerful media on the left”.
“The Italian right handed fascism to history decades ago, unequivocally condemning the suppression of democracy and the shameful anti-Jewish laws,” she said in the video recording, which was posted on Facebook and also sent to foreign media. “We firmly oppose any anti-democratic tendency with a determination not always found on the Italian and European left,” she added.
But complaints about fascism ring hollow, especially against the fervent Ukrainian support for Nazi figure Stepan Bandera.
Born in Rome, Meloni underscored her party’s commitment to the West and her condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine – a contentious issue in the right-wing party bloc. Ex-Interior Minister Salvini and former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of the right-wing conservative Forza Italia are reputed to have good relations with the Kremlin.
Meloni also denied all speculation about Italy leaving the euro. Nor would a right-wing government led by her under any circumstances endanger Italy’s financial stability.
All rights reserved. You have permission to quote freely from the articles provided that the source (www.freewestmedia.com) is given. Photos may not be used without our consent.
Consider donating to support our work
Help us to produce more articles like this. FreeWestMedia is depending on donations from our readers to keep going. With your help, we expose the mainstream fake news agenda.
Keep your language polite. Readers from many different countries visit and contribute to Free West Media and we must therefore obey the rules in, for example, Germany. Illegal content will be deleted.
If you have been approved to post comments without preview from FWM, you are responsible for violations of any law. This means that FWM may be forced to cooperate with authorities in a possible crime investigation.
If your comments are subject to preview by FWM, please be patient. We continually review comments but depending on the time of day it can take up to several hours before your comment is reviewed.
We reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive, contain slander or foul language, or are irrelevant to the discussion.
Europe
New App Helps Locate Sweden’s Historic Runestones
A new app called Swedish Runestones will help locate historical gems.
Swedish military wants to remilitarize the Åland Islands
The demilitarized autonomy has previously been known as 'the islands of peace.
NOAA Predicts Zero Sunspots for Almost the Whole 2030s
CLIMATEThe United States' government scientific organization, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), predicts zero sunspots from 2031 to 2040. This is an extreme situation that has not occurred in as long as humanity has been counting sunspots, and it leads us into uncharted territory in terms of our solar system. However, this prediction aligns with the warnings of the world-renowned solar researcher Valentina Zharkova for many years, who indicated in 2019 various signs of this catastrophic phenomenon, including the extreme hailstorms we have seen in Europe and the world this summer. The forecast and various observations this year give cause for very significant concern. In this unique analysis, Free West Media explains why.
European Nationalist Parties Forge Cooperation Ahead of EU Elections
EUROPEAN ELECTIONSOn Saturday, August 26, representatives of six European nationalist parties gathered in Budapest. The meeting was initiated by the Hungarian party Mi Hazánk and took place in the national parliament. Representatives of the parties signed a joint declaration that not only reaffirms the parties' friendship but also their unity on a range of complex political issues. A surprisingly clear and radical manifesto was established. The hope is that this cooperation will lead to success in the EU elections and eventually result in the formation of a group in the European Parliament. For Swedish nationalism, this meeting marks a success as Sweden, for the first time, has a party represented in a leading nationalist cooperation in Europe. Free West Media was present at this historic event.
Turkey Believes Sweden Hasn’t Done Enough
Sweden will have to wait a bit longer for NATO membership, according to Turkey's Justice Minister Jilmaz Tunc. First, Sweden must extradite the "terrorists" Turkey wants and stop the desecration of the Quran.
Swedish Weapon Takes Down Russia’s Best Attack Helicopter
The Russian attack helicopter Ka-52 is considered one of the world's best and has struck fear in Ukraine, where it has hunted down tanks and other armored vehicles, often beyond the range of many light anti-aircraft systems. However, it has met its match in the Swedish air defense missile system RBS 70, which has quickly led to significant losses for the Russian helicopter forces.
The Sun Drives Earth’s Climate, Not Carbon Dioxide
Top Researchers Push Back Against Climate Lies."The correlation is as clear as day," explained the Israeli astrophysicist Nir Shaviv, who was hailed by the establishment, before his interview with Forbes was hastily deleted. What he says contradicts the climate narrative, which points to humans as responsible for Earth's climate. Shaviv firmly asserts that it is the sun that controls the climate, something that can be scientifically proven in many ways. Contrary to the popular belief, the sun's influence on Earth has, in recent years, caused unusually cold and rainy weather, a trend that solar researchers warn will worsen significantly in the coming decades. The sun has exhibited an unusually low activity since 2016, during Solar Cycle 24, which was the weakest in a century.
Strong Confidence in German AfD
Alternative for Germany (AfD) held a party conference on July 29-30 to select candidates for the upcoming EU election next year. EU Parliament member Maximilian Krah, belonging to the party's more radical, ethnonationalist faction, was appointed as the top candidate. The party's two spokespersons delivered powerful speeches criticizing the EU's failed migration policy and trade sanctions that isolate Europe and Germany from the rest of the world. They argued that it's time for the EU to return a significant portion of its power to national parliaments. However, they have dropped the demand for Germany to exit the EU.
The Establishment Wants to Ban Germany’s Second Largest Party – for the Sake of Democracy
The rising popularity of AfD has raised strong concerns within the establishment. Despite lies and demonization in the media and isolation from the overall political establishment, the party continues to grow. Certain representatives of the party are accused of becoming increasingly "extreme," and in an unusual move, the influential weekly newspaper Der Spiegel demanded that AfD be "banned."
Dutch FvD break through the media blockade
What is happening in the Netherlands? It is often difficult to follow events in other countries, especially when distorted by system media. We give Forum for Democracy (FvD) the opportunity to speak out on the political situation in the Netherlands and the staunch resistance they face in trying to save the country.
No comments.
By submitting a comment you grant Free West Media a perpetual license to reproduce your words and name/web site in attribution. Inappropriate and irrelevant comments will be removed at an admin’s discretion. Your email is used for verification purposes only, it will never be shared.