Latest news with #BrothersofItaly
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Meloni and Macron pledge 'unwavering' support for Ukraine
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron to Rome with a firm handshake on Tuesday, a meeting that many interpreted as a sign of diplomatic rapprochement. Following a three-hour discussion, the two leaders issued a joint statement pledged their "unwavering" support for Ukraine, calling it necessary for achieving a "just and lasting solution" to the conflict. Ahead of the meeting, the Élysée Palace had said that there were points between Macron and Meloni that needed to be clarified, particularly regarding support for Ukraine. The statement also underscored the need for an "ambitious change in scale" in European defence, while adding that the two leaders also discussed topics including the situation in the Middle East and European cooperation on migration policy. The meeting at Chigi Palace, the seat of Italian government, was considered a diplomatic reset between Paris and Rome, even though both sides stressed that there had never been a cold spell. The leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party said last week that they have many commonalities but also differences. She said it is important to talk, even in the face of disagreements. Italy is an important partner, the Élysée Palace said, adding that Meloni would not be ostracized in any way. The relationship between the two has recently seemed tense. In Rome, Macron's trip to Kiev with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer caused irritation as Meloni was not included. Even in the "coalition of the willing" initiated by Macron to support Ukraine after a ceasefire, the positions diverge: Italy strictly opposes sending troops. The strategies of the two leaders also differ in their stance towards US President Donald Trump: Rome focuses on closeness and mediation, while Paris emphasizes European independence. The next bilateral meeting between Italy and France is scheduled to take place in France in early 2026.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Meloni welcomes Macron to Rome amid signs of rapprochement
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron to Rome with a firm handshake on Tuesday, a meeting that many interpreted as a sign of diplomatic rapprochement. Macron wanted to ensure that Meloni and he could move forward together, the Élysée Palace said. There are some points that need to be clarified, particularly regarding support for Ukraine, it said. Initially, neither side provided details on how the talks actually went. The meeting at Chigi Palace, the seat of Italian government, was considered a diplomatic reset between Paris and Rome, even though both sides stressed that there had never been a cold spell. The leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party said last week that they have many commonalities but also differences. She said it is important to talk, even in the face of disagreements. Italy is an important partner, the Élysée Palace said, adding that Meloni would not be ostracized in any way. The relationship between the two has recently seemed tense. In Rome, Macron's trip to Kiev with Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer caused irritation as Meloni was not included. Even in the "coalition of the willing" initiated by Macron to support Ukraine after a ceasefire, the positions diverge: Italy strictly opposes sending troops. The strategies of the two leaders also differ in their stance towards US President Donald Trump: Rome focuses on closeness and mediation, while Paris emphasizes European independence.
RTHK
5 days ago
- Politics
- RTHK
Thousands march in Rome against security law
Thousands march in Rome against security law People take part in a demonstration against Italian government's DL sicurezza (security law decree) in Rome, Italy. Photo: AFP Thousands of demonstrators marched through Rome on Saturday to protest a new security law passed by prime minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing government, denouncing its criminal justice reforms as repressive. Under tight police guard and sweltering heat, protesters marched through central Rome past landmarks including the Colosseum, waving trade union and Palestinian flags. The law increases sentences for certain acts including protests and strengthens protections for police officers accused of violence. The decree, passed by the lower house on Thursday after cabinet approval in April, is expected to clear the Senate, where the ruling right has a firm majority, within 10 days. Police facing charges for violence while on duty will be eligible for US$11,350 in legal aid under the new rules. Offences such as taking part in "prison riots" will carry harsher sentences, including cases of passive resistance. Illegal squatters face faster eviction procedures, and pregnant women or mothers of young children will no longer have the chance of avoiding jail when convicted, albeit in less severe detention centres. Traditional union protests such as road blockades during protests, formerly considered only an administrative offence, could now carry jail terms of up to two years. "There is a drastic increase in penalties for occupying buildings to live in," Antetomaso said. "The housing crisis cannot be solved with seven-year prison sentences for those without shelter, but with various social policies." The government insists it has a mandate to pass the law. "Order, security and legality are at the heart of the Meloni government's actions," Carolina Varchi, a deputy in Meloni's far-right Brothers of Italy party, said on Friday. "Challenging this decree means, in effect, turning one's back on the demand for security that comes from citizens." (AFP)
29-05-2025
- Politics
Portugal's Chega party becomes the main opposition and joins Europe's far-right surge
LISBON, Portugal -- Portugal's anti-immigration Chega party notched another political gain for Europe's far right on Wednesday after it was assigned the second-most seats in parliament — meaning it will become the head of the parliamentary opposition to the new government. That shatters the pattern of Portugal's center-right and center-left mainstream parties alternating between heading a government or leading the opposition. Chega's strides since the May 18 election coincide with gains elsewhere by far-right forces. In Europe, those include France's National Rally, the Brothers of Italy and Alternative for Germany, which are now in the political mainstream. Leading the opposition is quite the accomplishment for a once-fringe party that competed in its first election six years ago, when it won one seat. It has surged recently with its hardline stance against immigration and with the inability of traditional parties to form lasting governments. The May 18th election was Portugal's third in as many years. Chega, which means 'Enough,' secured 60 of the National Assembly's 230 seats after it picked up two more seats on Wednesday from the overseas voters of the European Union country of 10.6 million people. 'This is a profound change in the Portuguese political system," Chega leader Andre Ventura told supporters after Chega bested the Socialists by two seats. The center-right Democratic Alliance, led by the Social Democratic Party, captured two more seats to take its tally to 88. Following the election, incoming Prime Minister Luis Montenegro was already looking at heading another minority government similar to the one that fell two months ago in a confidence vote after less than a year in power. But now Montenegro and other parties will face an emboldened far-right competitor that campaigned under the slogan 'Save Portugal' and describes itself as a nationalist party. ___
Local Italy
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Local Italy
Two in three Italians won't vote in June referendums, poll says
The poll, which was conducted by Youtrend for news site HuffPost Italia, found that only 32 percent of eligible voters plan to cast their votes in the June 8th-9th referendums. These include four votes on labour law provisions and a closely-watched citizenship vote on halving the current 10-year wait time for naturalisation claims down to five. HuffPost called Youtrend's findings 'discouraging', saying they validated long-standing concerns that the referendums may not be able to meet the voter turnout (over 50 percent) needed for their results to be valid. Should the votes fail to reach the required turnout (or quorum), they will automatically be considered void, regardless of their outcomes. , particularly the citizenship one. The figure fell to 12 percent when considering supporters of Meloni's Brothers of Italy party alone. Turnout was expected to be high among left-wing voters. Youtrend estimated that up to 82 percent of Democratic Party (PD) voters and around 77 percent of Greens and Left Alliance (AVS) supporters would cast their votes in the upcoming referendums. Turnout was expected to drop to around 50 percent for voters of centrist parties including +Europa, Azione e Italia Viva, according to the research centre. The Youtrend poll was released amid growing calls from members of Italy's ruling coalition to abstain from voting. Roberto Vannacci, an MEP for the anti-immigration League party, said last week that the referendums 'must fail'. "The first four referendum questions were proposed by the left to repeal a law made by the left,' whereas the citizenship question 'only serves to drum up electoral support,' he said. Grazia Di Maggio, a member of Meloni's Brothers of Italy, also condemned the referendums, calling them a 'clumsy attempt to sabotage the government'. 'I believe Italians will have better things to do [than voting] on June 8th and 9th,' she added. The government's attempts to encourage abstention have sparked outrage among members of the centre-left coalition backing the referendums. Riccardo Magi, leader of the +Europa party, said that the hard-right coalition's 'coordinated strategy' to boycott the referendums shows 'a lack of awareness of the institutions and role they hold'. Italy needs 'a democratic rebellion' to fight abstentionism, he added. The leader of the Democratic Party, Elly Schlein, also urged people to vote, saying that Italians 'have an extraordinary opportunity to take part in a vote that can improve the country's future by fighting job insecurity, increasing workplace safety, and finally helping to award citizenship to those who are born in or choose Italy as their home'.
