In Italy, the right-wing coalition government focused on irregular migration and energy in foreign policy.
In Italy, the right-wing coalition government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, focused on supporting Ukraine under three main headings: Euro-Atlantic, European Union (EU) and Mediterranean, combating irregular migration and becoming an energy center in foreign policy in its 100 days in power.
The right-wing coalition government, established on October 22, 2022, after the early general elections on September 25, 2022, left behind 100 days in power. During this time, Meloni and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani revealed the priorities of the government in foreign policy with their foreign trips, actions and discourses.
Regarding the Ukraine war, which has an important place in foreign policy, Prime Minister Meloni emphasized his commitment to the Euro-Atlantic alliance, despite the cracking voices from his power partners from time to time, and confirmed that they will continue to provide weapons aid to Ukraine throughout 2023. Meloni, who was wondering how his relations with the EU would be due to his coming from far-right politics, had serious problems with France, one of the member countries, regarding irregular migration, which he highlighted in the first days.
At the beginning of November, Italy closed its ports to the ships of the European non-governmental organization that rescued irregular migrants in the Mediterranean, causing Paris to react sharply at that time. In the issue that increased the tension on the Paris-Rome line, the Meloni government partially reopened its ports to non-governmental organizations (NGO) ships, with messages of solidarity on immigration from the EU.
The Meloni government, which puts the issue of migration on the agenda at every EU meeting, continues to be the target of criticism from some circles in Europe, with the decree that it issued at the beginning of the year to make the activities of NGO ships more difficult.
GOAL TO BE A DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN ENERGY
At the 8th MED Mediterranean Dialogue Forum held in Rome at the beginning of December 2022, Meloni said: “Italy is strongly committed to its commitment to strengthen its role in the Mediterranean with this government.” He noted that it can play the role of an energy bridge for
In this context, Prime Minister Meloni’s visits to Algeria on January 23 and Libya on January 28, and the agreements signed there, are among the steps he took to become a “hub” in energy.
During Meloni’s visit, Italian energy company ENI first announced that it would supply 28 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Algeria by 2024, and then signed a $8 billion natural gas agreement with the National Petroleum Corporation (NOC) in Libya.
Meanwhile, in addition to Meloni, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tajani also visited Turkey on January 13, Tunisia on January 18 and Egypt on January 22, and discussed the issues of cooperation and regional stability in different areas in the Mediterranean with his interlocutors.
Nathalie Tocci, Director of the Institute for International Affairs (IAI), stated that the Meloni government has returned to its traditional line, “This is a foreign policy that somehow goes back to the Italian foreign policy tradition, the Euro-Atlantic, the European Union and the Mediterranean.”