Mix reactions in Europe over far-right election win in Italy

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) – While right-wing leaders in Europe congratulated Giorgia Meloni on her projected win in Italy’s general election, the rest of the political reactions on the continent have been marked by concern.

On Sunday, Meloni claimed victory after her right-wing Brothers of Italy party won 26% of the vote. While a government still must be formed, she is on track to lead Italy’s most right-wing government since World War II.

On Monday morning, a trickle of reactions began to pour in from European politicians, although most European leaders have remained silent on Italy’s historic vote.

Two exceptions are the right-wing leaders of Poland and Hungary, who have not hidden their enthusiasm.

“Great victory! Congratulations!” wrote Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Facebook shortly after midnight.

“Bravo Giorgia,” wrote Hungary’s Premier Viktor Orban on Facebook, adding that her victory was “more than well-deserved.”

“In these difficult times, we need more than ever friends who share a common vision and approach to Europe’s challenges,” tweeted Orban’s political aid, Balazs Orban.

Polish politician Ryszard Czarnecki described himself as Meloni’s “godfather” because he recommended her as the head of the European Conservatives and Reformists parliamentary group. “It was a very good political investment for us,” he said.

Meloni opposes punishing Poland and Hungary for failing to comply with the EU rule of law.

“We will regain the EU for the peoples of the EU Member States. We will defeat the communists, the leftists and the LGBT lobby – all those who are destroying our civilization. We will hold the brazen and corrupt Eurocrats at the helm, led by Ursula von der Leyen, to account,” Polish MP Janusz Kowalski wrote on social media.

In Spain, France and Germany, however, ruling politicians have expressed cautious anxiety about Italy’s election results.

Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said at a media conference that Italy’s vote was legitimate but emphasized that a government has yet to be formed.

However, he said Europe is facing a “defining moment” and lamented that some political forces aim to follow “Putin’s model … which is authoritarian and does not believe in plurality or diversity.”

He added: “Populism always ends the same: in catastrophe.”

When asked on French radio, France’s Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne did not comment directly on Meloni’s victory, but said “each state must be in line with (European values), on the rule of law, on human rights, on the respect of the right to abortion.”

In Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s deputy spokesman Wolfgang Buechner only told reporters that “Italy is a very Europe-friendly country with very Europe-friendly citizens, and we assume that will not change.”

Rasmus Andresen, spokesperson for the German Greens in the EU Parliament, was less diplomatic, saying the results of the Italian election “will weaken Europe.”

“Italy will not leave the EU, but will block necessary reforms. The EU must not be naive when dealing with the new government,” he tweeted.

Meanwhile, aspiring far-right parties across Europe rejoiced at Meloni’s win.

Spain’s far-right Vox party said Italy’s election signal “a new dawn for Europe,” with Italy “saying enough to leftists and globalism.”

The leader of French far-right, Marine Le Pen, congratulated Italian politicians “for resisting the threats of an anti-democratic and arrogant European Union.”

The German far-right party AfD also cheered Italy’s political turn, noting it is “just like in Sweden.”

* Agnes Szucs from Brussels, Jo Harper from Warsaw contributed to this story