A while ago there was still a political tension between Rome and Berlin. Now Scholz greets her with “Dear Giorgia,” and there is a joint “action plan” for improved cooperation.
According to the will of both governments, Germany and Italy will work more closely together in the future. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni signed a joint “action plan” in the Berlin Chancellery.
In the 37-page paper, both declare that they want to coordinate more closely “in the early phases on key political measures.” According to the paper, there are no differences between the traffic light and the right-wing nationalist Italian government on key issues such as the course towards Russia or climate policy. The previous differences of opinion on migration policy no longer played a role at a joint press conference between Scholz and Meloni.
The heads of government and several ministers from both sides met in Berlin for so-called government consultations. Numerous projects were agreed in the “action plan”. Annual meetings of ministers, industrial and banking associations, cooperation and projects in a wide range of areas such as migration, security, defense, energy, science, social policy and climate are planned.
Pipeline for gas and hydrogen across the Alps
Scholz spoke of new cooperation projects and new formats of cooperation. He specifically mentioned the energy sector and the long-term security of supply for gas and hydrogen. He announced the construction of a new pipeline across the Alps. Meloni spoke of a historic day in the Chancellery.
The joint paper states that Germany and Italy would push forward new gas and hydrogen pipelines via Austria and/or Switzerland. The gas pipeline infrastructure to North Africa should be expanded and the import of ten million tons of hydrogen should be realized by 2030.
Unlike the AfD in Germany, which regularly expresses criticism of climate policy, Meloni expressly acknowledged this with her signature: “Promoting climate protection worldwide and supporting ecological change is an urgent core task of our time, which is underlined by scientific findings and agreed globally under the Paris Agreement,” the document says.
Regarding the war in Ukraine, both heads of government declared that Germany and Italy stood together “in the face of Russia’s groundless, unjustified and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.” We will continue to coordinate closely, including on sanctions policy and support for Ukraine.
First government consultations in seven years
The German-Italian “action plan” had already been agreed upon with Meloni’s predecessor Mario Draghi in December 2021 in order to deepen relations between the two countries. The idea followed a friendship treaty previously signed between Italy and France with the aim of both states to work more closely together on issues such as the economy, security and migration policy.
These were the first German-Italian government consultations since 2016. Such meetings between heads of government and several ministers from both sides only take place with close partner countries or countries that are particularly important for Germany, such as China, India or Brazil.
Criticism of the Left: “Irresponsible”
Meloni and her right-wing nationalist party Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) have been ruling the country since the end of October 2022, together with the conservative party Forza Italia and the right-wing populist Lega. Not long ago there was a dispute with Berlin over German financial aid for non-governmental organizations that rescue boat migrants from the Mediterranean in order to then bring them ashore in Italy. Meloni complained about this in a letter to Scholz in September. Nothing more was heard about it now. “We all know that we have to find a way to reduce irregular migration,” said Scholz at the press conference.
The Left was critical of the meeting in Berlin. “The Italian Prime Minister is not a state guest for whom the red carpet should be rolled out,” said party leader Janine Wissler. She spoke of a dangerous normalization and courting of Meloni and her right-wing government by the traffic light government. “The behavior of the traffic lights is also irresponsible in view of legal developments in Germany.”
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
