Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, previously considered an open admirer of Vladimir Putin, caused a stir with his comments on Russia’s presidential election. The right-wing populist Lega leader is increasingly coming under fire and is also causing difficulties for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
“When a people votes, they are always right. Elections are always good, whether you win them or lose them. We note the mood of Russian citizens and hope that 2024 will be the year of peace,” Salvini said on Monday.
Minister of Foreign Affairs: “Elections were not free and fair”
However, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani of the conservative Forza Italia reiterated that he does not consider the outcome of the Russian presidential election, which Vladimir Putin won with a clear majority, as legitimate, after saying on Sunday that the vote was not “free”. and fair.” “We saw the photos of soldiers in the polling stations. It does not seem to me to have been a choice that respects the criteria that we respect,” Tajani said. To put Salvini’s statements into perspective, Tajani emphasized: “The minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs makes foreign policy.”
The opposition parties called on Prime Minister Meloni to respond to Salvini’s statements. “Is Meloni really convinced that a pro-Russian deputy prime minister sitting in the cabinet and influencing the government’s foreign policy does not pose a national security problem? I would ask myself a few questions,” emphasized the leader of the Italian Left (SI), Nicola Fratoianni. He emphasized that he was “not shocked by Salvini’s incredible words about the Russian elections,” because the League leader appeared on Red Square a few years ago with the image of Putin as a soldier on his T-shirt. “What strikes me is that Prime Minister Meloni is once again acting as if nothing happened,” Fratoianni criticized.
Meloni: No tensions with Salvini
The person addressed denied tensions with Salvini. In an interview with the political program “Agora”, broadcast by Rai, the head of government emphasized that her coalition was also united in the field of foreign policy.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
