Anti-migrant Eurospeptic League leader Matteo Salvini and his prospective government partner, the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio, both chafed Tuesday against alleged European Union interference in the formation of Italy's promised next government.
League leader Salvini, who also said there should be a new election if they failed to get a deal, accused the EU of meddling after Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said he hopes Italy's policy on asylum seekers does not change under the new government.
"From Europe we have the umpteenth unacceptable interference by unelected officials," Salvini said. "We have received and maintained too much. "Now is the time for legality, security and push-backs".
Avramopoulos said Italy deserved praise for the way it has addressed the Mediterranean migrant crisis while stressing that it was one of the countries to have received most support from Brussels. Italy, along with Greece, has taken the brunt of the Mediterranean migrant crisis and has been credited with saving Europe's honour for its efforts to save lives at sea. The flow of migrants from North Africa has fallen significantly after the outgoing government reached an agreement with Libya to support the efforts of its coast guard against human traffickers. Human rights groups have criticised this agreement, saying it means asylum seekers are being sent back to abuse and torture.
The League, which is in talks with the M5S on forming a new government in Rome, has called for the adoption of a harder line on migrants.
Di Maio, for his part, said that the more Eurocrats attacked the prospective M5S-league government, the more motivation it would draw from the attacks. "We have continual attacks, today also from some Eurocrats not elected by anyone and the FT speaks of new barbarians, but how do you dare?" said Di Maio.
"The more I see these attacks, the more I am motivated, because I see a lot of fear of change by a certain establishment.
"But those who fear change today are our enemy, and those who want it instead are fighting with us". The Financial Times focused on the "new barbarians" but also called them an "odd couple" that risks splitting up over Europe, examining the differences between Di Maio and Salvini.
The breaking point could be their respective attitudes towards Brussels, the paper said.
However, "with European elections around the corner in 2019, neither Mr Salvini nor Mr Di Maio will want to be caught off guard by making too many concessions to their partner. But for now, the new populist duo of Italian politics was savouring the taste of power," concluded the Financial Times.
Salvini said there would either be a government deal or else the Italians would be called on to vote again after the inconclusive March 4 election.
"Either a strong government is formed and that means reaching a deal with the Five Stars on everything or almost everything, or rather, as is possible, distances remain, we can say responsibly that we have tried our best".
Salvini said "and if we aren't able to start off, the only thing to do is to give the word to Italians (in another election)".
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