But Malta’s support for the Italian position, suggests a change in its diplomatic response to problems created by the Italian far right. It also suggests that given a choice between France and Italy, Spain remains closer to its northern neighbour. Meloni flexes her musclesSignificantly, the statement by the four Mediterranean nations is overshadowed by an escalation in tension between France and Italy. Unlike Salvini, Meloni has been careful to frame her migration policy in an appeal to “European solidarity”, thus deviating from the far-right’s xenophobic instincts. In fact, Meloni herself was elected on a platform which included a unlikely naval blockade of Libya to stop departures.

Source: Libya Today November 18, 2022 07:51 UTC