Swing of power: persistent oscillation of Meloni between European Union and U.S. capital
In the political landscape of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, the President of the Council since 2022, finds herself navigating a delicate dance between her government's commitments and the expectations of Europe and the United States.
Meloni's government, a coalition of the Brothers of Italy and the League, has expressed strong support for Ukraine but remains divided on defense spending and the European ReArm plan. While the Brothers of Italy have voted in favour of these initiatives, the League has shown opposition. This political ambiguity highlights the internal constraints Meloni faces.
Her government's stance on the European Green Deal is clear, however. Meloni has repeatedly criticized the deal and advocated for a deep revision of it, reflecting her deep-rooted nationalist vision.
Despite this, Meloni enjoys good relations with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and former US President Joe Biden. Her government's commitment to increasing defense spending to 2% of GDP in the short term aligns with Biden's push for a higher percentage, although Meloni's government currently spends only 1.5% of GDP on defense.
In trade matters, Meloni has moved closer to Brussels, but she has also proposed increasing European imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States. The Italian government, with a trade surplus of nearly $74 billion, aims to negotiate a reduction in tariffs with the US, similar to the future German government's aim.
Meloni's relations with French President Emmanuel Macron remain fraught, while she seems to ignore instability signals within NATO, despite threats to its integrity from certain American officials.
In the coming weeks, high-level diplomatic meetings will address security issues, involving various European foreign ministers and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, alongside Meloni, will be involved in these discussions related to Italy and the US.
As Meloni prepares for a meeting in the Oval Office, the trade issue will undoubtedly be a key point of discussion. Meloni's government's nationalist leanings and her alignment with Vice President J.D. Vance's views on Europe's regulatory system in digital services and tech sector could shape the negotiations.
The complexities of Italy's relationship with Europe and the US under Meloni's leadership promise to be a fascinating watch in the coming months.
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