European Commission looks forward to ‘constructive cooperation’ with new Italian government

BRUSSELS

The European Commission looks forward to “constructive cooperation” with the new Italian government, the EU institution’s chief spokesman said Monday.

“We are looking forward to a constructive cooperation with the new Italian administration,” Eric Mamer told reporters at the commission’s daily news briefing.

Mamer declined to comment on the Italian election campaign, in which the winning far-right coalition had criticized the EU and its policies, including those dealing with foreign affairs, the budget, migration and the rule of law.

“The European Commission and its president (Ursula von der Leyen) work with the European governments who are elected by their citizens. It will not change in this case either,” he asserted.

Mamer added that the EU executive body is “currently waiting for Italy to nominate the new government in line with the constitution.”

The leader of the Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, Giorgia Meloni, is expected to become Italy’s new prime minister after the right-wing alliance between the FdI, Matteo Salvini’s Lega party and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italy won over 43% of the vote in Sunday’s general elections.

The new government is highly likely to pursue a more EU-critical and conflictual agenda than its predecessors, joining Poland and Hungary as close allies in EU decision-making.