By attacking Poland and Hungary, the Italian left is diverting attention from the most urgent EU problems, according to Giorgia Meloni, president of the right-wing Italian Brothers, who debated with her number one political rival, Enrico Letta, secretary general of the Democratic Party, on the Corriere della Sera internet television channel on Monday.
The largest daily newspaper asked the leaders of the Italian Brothers (FdI) and the Democratic Party (PD), which are leading in the polls, about the main topics of the election campaign, which has reached its penultimate week. The live debate was moderated by Luciano Fontana, director of Corriere della Sera.
Regarding the European Union, Giorgia Meloni believed that anyone who tries to formulate constructive criticism will immediately be called a sovereignist and anti-European . However, recent years have pointed out the weak points of the EU: first, as a result of the shock caused by the new coronavirus epidemic and then the war in Ukraine, it became clear that the EU must deal with the really important issues, since Europe is currently a "political dwarf and bureaucratic giant", while it should be the other way around , said Giorgia Meloni.
He explained that Europe does not have a common foreign policy, a common defense policy, and has built its economy on an endless supply chain.
The EU, which became the former European Coal and Steel Community, is struggling with energy problems, added the president of the FdI.
Protecting national interests means that "Brussels should not deal with what we in Rome can do better," Giorgia Meloni insisted. He believed
the left brings up Hungary with ten million people as a permanent example, while not saying a word about Germany, which defines the European economy, since the chancellor is a socialist. Meloni called the Italian left's attack on Eastern European countries unacceptable. According to the left, these countries are second class - Meloni quoted Letta's previous statements.
In his response, Enrico Letta called for the amendment of the EU's decision-making system, in which unanimous voting is replaced by the majority by abolishing the member states' right of veto. He stated that for him the family policy of the Hungarian government is not exemplary, as stated by Matteo Salvini, the president of the League.
According to the general secretary of the PD, Poland and Hungary should also be excluded from joint European migration decisions, as they say no to accepting immigrants and paralyze the European solidarity mechanism. A common European immigration policy is needed, nationalisms and vetoes will leave Italy alone in the face of migration, Enrico Letta stated. He believed that the eventual victory of the right would lead Italy back to the past by curtailing freedoms.
According to Giorgia Meloni, the Polish and Hungarian governments were right to oppose the distribution of migrants who arrived in Italy without inspection. The right-wing politician added that France and Germany were the first to turn back illegal immigrants from Italy.
As a solution, he urged preventing migrants from leaving the coast of Africa. "We cannot allow traffickers to decide who enters our country," said Giorgia Meloni.
Enrico Letta ruled out the possibility of forming a national unity government between the left and the right after the elections. Giorgia Meloni said that a democratic competition will decide who will be in government.
According to the latest surveys, the FdI performs at around 25 percent, and the coalition it leads stands at 46 percent. The PD has slightly more than twenty percent support, its alliance does not reach thirty percent.
The last joint televised debate of the leaders of the major parties participating in the election will be broadcast by the public service RAI1 on the evening of September 22.
Source and full article: Magyar Hírlap
Featured image: world-today-news.com
