Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy’s right-wing populist party Lega, thinks European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen should resign or apologize for statements she made about Sunday’s Italian parliamentary elections. Von der Leyen had said Thursday that if things go the wrong way in “Italy,” the EU has “tools.
The highly conservative and nationalist party Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) is leading in the polls. Leader Giorgia Meloni could become the first female prime minister of Italy, one of the largest eurozone countries. Lega, of former Minister Salvini, and Forza Italia, of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, are allies of Meloni.
A student at the American University of Princeton had asked Von der Leyen if she was worried about the Italian elections. To that, Von der Leyen referred to the tools Brussels has to deal with troublesome member states. Last week, for example, the European Commission announced its intention to suspend 65 percent of some EU funds for Hungary. The sanction is intended to force Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to take decisive action against corruption and fraud with EU money in the country.
In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Salvini expressed his displeasure with Von der Leyen’s statements. “Was this threat, blackmail or institutional intimidation? The president must apologize or resign.”
So politicians with veto power in EU now include:
– Viktor Orban
– Mateusz Morawiecki
– Giorgia Meloni
We should have scrapped unanimity a long time ago.
VdL has to apologise because she said the EU has tools to retaliate against degradation of democratic principles? If her speech was a veiled threat against the far right, is this then a veiled admission of undemocratic principles?
Failed leader of minor party in governing coalition demands answers!
The party didn’t do a single thing yet. So the comment was unwarranted for sure. Goddamnit, when will EU understand that right wing today is supported by working class after left wing parties left them in the water and focus on programs that are more popular with upper middle class and above.
Go fuck yourself Salvini….
Fuck. the. Lega. Putin. Supporter. Clowns.
“**Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy’s right-wing populist Pro-Kremlin party Lega, thinks European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen should resign or apologize for statements she made about Sunday’s Italian parliamentary elections**. Von der Leyen had said Thursday that if things go the wrong way in “Italy,” the EU has “tools.
Matteo, btw, where are the 49 million euros your party has taken?
It’s not VdL’s fault that Salvini reads sensationalist newspapers that misrepresent her comments.
Let’s start, yes, why not
Oh wow. The EU is slowly sliding into political strife like the USA.
Not an entirely unreasonable demand. She might not have directly intervened in the internal political process but issuing such statements close to an election clearly violates the spirit of the established norm. It’s like a dogwhistle you know, there’s plausible deniability in it but we all know that she meant.
At the very least it is a big political gaffe that only fuels euroskeptic sentiments.
She should indeed resign.
Someone should tell Salvini to count to ten before opening his mouth.
Von der Leyen simply stated the existing EU instruments, in response to a question from a student, and clearly used the word “if”.
It’s a pretty dumb statement, but mentally von der Leyhen is still “figthing” the AfD in Germany for her party.
Please understand him, he has suffered greatly this last election. He used to be the leader of the center-right with most of the votes, and now he’s playing second fiddle to a party that stole most of his. He has to speak out and try to stay relevant, or someone within his party will surely do for him.
Salvini doing very poorly in elections be like:
She has nothing to apologise for.
Let’s remember the warnings from Germany on her election day noone here wanted to hear:
19 comments
Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy’s right-wing populist party Lega, thinks European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen should resign or apologize for statements she made about Sunday’s Italian parliamentary elections. Von der Leyen had said Thursday that if things go the wrong way in “Italy,” the EU has “tools.
The highly conservative and nationalist party Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) is leading in the polls. Leader Giorgia Meloni could become the first female prime minister of Italy, one of the largest eurozone countries. Lega, of former Minister Salvini, and Forza Italia, of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, are allies of Meloni.
A student at the American University of Princeton had asked Von der Leyen if she was worried about the Italian elections. To that, Von der Leyen referred to the tools Brussels has to deal with troublesome member states. Last week, for example, the European Commission announced its intention to suspend 65 percent of some EU funds for Hungary. The sanction is intended to force Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to take decisive action against corruption and fraud with EU money in the country.
In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Salvini expressed his displeasure with Von der Leyen’s statements. “Was this threat, blackmail or institutional intimidation? The president must apologize or resign.”
So politicians with veto power in EU now include:
– Viktor Orban
– Mateusz Morawiecki
– Giorgia Meloni
We should have scrapped unanimity a long time ago.
VdL has to apologise because she said the EU has tools to retaliate against degradation of democratic principles? If her speech was a veiled threat against the far right, is this then a veiled admission of undemocratic principles?
Failed leader of minor party in governing coalition demands answers!
The party didn’t do a single thing yet. So the comment was unwarranted for sure. Goddamnit, when will EU understand that right wing today is supported by working class after left wing parties left them in the water and focus on programs that are more popular with upper middle class and above.
Go fuck yourself Salvini….
Fuck. the. Lega. Putin. Supporter. Clowns.
“**Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy’s right-wing populist Pro-Kremlin party Lega, thinks European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen should resign or apologize for statements she made about Sunday’s Italian parliamentary elections**. Von der Leyen had said Thursday that if things go the wrong way in “Italy,” the EU has “tools.
Matteo, btw, where are the 49 million euros your party has taken?
It’s not VdL’s fault that Salvini reads sensationalist newspapers that misrepresent her comments.
Let’s start, yes, why not
Oh wow. The EU is slowly sliding into political strife like the USA.
Not an entirely unreasonable demand. She might not have directly intervened in the internal political process but issuing such statements close to an election clearly violates the spirit of the established norm. It’s like a dogwhistle you know, there’s plausible deniability in it but we all know that she meant.
At the very least it is a big political gaffe that only fuels euroskeptic sentiments.
She should indeed resign.
Someone should tell Salvini to count to ten before opening his mouth.
Von der Leyen simply stated the existing EU instruments, in response to a question from a student, and clearly used the word “if”.
It’s a pretty dumb statement, but mentally von der Leyhen is still “figthing” the AfD in Germany for her party.
Please understand him, he has suffered greatly this last election. He used to be the leader of the center-right with most of the votes, and now he’s playing second fiddle to a party that stole most of his. He has to speak out and try to stay relevant, or someone within his party will surely do for him.
Salvini doing very poorly in elections be like:
She has nothing to apologise for.
Let’s remember the warnings from Germany on her election day noone here wanted to hear:
https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/ced94q/as_a_german_i_want_to_apologize_for_all_the/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/ceg7z5/why_von_der_leyen/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/mcyke2/failing_upwards_the_story_of_ursula_von_der_leyen/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
regardless of what you think of FdI, VDL was wrong (and also fucking stupid) to threaten ANY political party on the eve of an election.
VDL is not elected, and should fuck off. Her role should be to rubber stamp what elected officials dictate to her.