A spokesman for German Chancellor
Olaf Scholz said after criticism of his tweet congratulating an
alleged "post-Fascist" leader in new Italian Premier Giorgia
Meloni that "Germany collaborates with all European governments,
and in this sense the Chancellor posted a tweet Saturday and
there will also be a telegramme of congratulations to follow".
As well as his congratulatory tweet, Scholz said after the
European Council Friday that Germany was ready to work with
Brothers of Italy (FDI) leader Meloni.
"We are all together as European nations within the EU and it is
essential that we democracies cooperate a great deal," said
Scholz.
"Every time that there is a change of government because of
elections, as (happens) in a democracy, it cannot change the
good relations that we have with the other member States or, for
example, that we have between Germany and Italy.
"We will continue to work with very good cooperation between the
countries and within the sphere of the European Union".
In his tweet Saturday Scholz said: Congratulazioni
@GiorgiaMeloni. I look forward to continue working closely
together with Italy in EU, NATO and G7.
"All the best and thank you to Mario Draghi @Palazzo_Chigifor
the good German-Italian partnership in recent years."
Meloni replied "Many thanks @Bundeskanzler. We are ready to work
together to find common and shared solutions to the important
challenges that Europe is facing from an energy, economic and
security point of view."
Meloni rejects the 'post-Fascist' label, preferring to be called
"conservative", and is the chair of the European Conservatives
and Reformists party along with Spain's Vox, Poland's Law and
Justice, and the Sweden Democrats.
She says Italy "handed Fascism over" to history decades ago,
with its suspension of democracy and "ignominious" anti-Jewish
laws, and says she shares values with Britain's Conservatives
and the US Republicans.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
