Repercussions of the Italian election
September 28th, 2022A pro-government columnist hopes that the new Italian government will prove a strong ally for Hungary in its battles with Brussels. A left-wing pundit, on the other hand, suspects that Giorgia Meloni will try to cooperate with the EU in order to secure EU funding without which Italy could go bust.
Magyar Nemzet’s László Szőcs is confident that Giorgia Meloni will be a strong ally of the Hungarian government, as she shares Prime Minister Orbán’s anti-immigration and pro-sovereignty values. The pro-government columnist lambasts EC President Von der Leyen for suggesting that the EU could suspend EU funds for Italy too if the new government does not comply with EU rule of law requirements. Szőcs believes that the EU is using EU funding to blackmail and pressurise countries that elect governments with populist politicians.
In Népszava, Tamás Rónay doubts that the ‘axis’ of Italy, Hungary and Poland will create a strong coalition and block the operation of the European Commission. The left-wing commentator recalls that in the electoral campaign the ‘post-fascist’ Meloni toned down her anti-EU rhetoric, as she realized that Italy will need EU funding in order to avoid insolvency. The U-turn of the formerly EU-sceptic Meloni is another clear proof that the EU is strong and resilient, Rónay concludes.