Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni publicly distanced herself from US President Donald Trump during a parliamentary address on Thursday, following a referendum defeat widely seen as a rebuke to her leadership.
Meloni emphasised the need for Western unity while signalling clear disagreements with Trump, highlighting issues from tariffs to Italy’s refusal to allow a US military aircraft to land at Sigonella air base before heading to the Middle East.
Her speech marks a rhetorical shift, reflecting Trump’s unpopularity in Italy and growing domestic discontent amid soaring energy prices linked to the Iran conflict.
The Bank of Italy has revised growth forecasts downward, warning of heightened uncertainty that could push the economy toward recession. Meloni also used the address to revisit a proposal, previously rejected by the European Commission, to temporarily suspend the Stability and Growth Pact to ease economic pressures, with Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini calling the move a priority.
European officials, including France’s Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné, signalled potential flexibility in response to the crisis.
via Politico
