Giorgia Meloni criticizes firewalls against right-wing parties

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni considers so-called firewalls against right-wing parties and movements to be unsuccessful. “As you can see, this is a strategy that doesn’t work,” the right-wing politician told the Italian newspaper “Il Foglio” when asked about the AfD’s electoral success in the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt almost a week ago.

Political movements have gained strength in Europe “that focus on the defense of identity, the fight against illegal mass immigration and the danger of an Islamization of Europe,” said Meloni.

The reaction of the “establishment” was often to “build firewalls instead of addressing the issues substantively,” she explained. This strategy doesn't seem to be working, Meloni said. What works instead is to “listen to these concerns and respond to them.”

Meloni has been in power with her coalition of three right-wing and conservative parties for almost four years. The head of government has so far held back from reacting to the AfD's electoral success in Saxony-Anhalt. In the past, Meloni, who is also head of the Fratelli d'Italia (Brothers of Italy) party, has repeatedly distanced herself from the AfD and its political views.