The two leaders have fought on topics spanning migration to abortion during a terminally uneasy relationship, but are set to have a moment of reconciliation in April during a Franco-Italian summit in Toulouse.
Officials close to the Italian prime minister said Macron’s comments were met “with astonishment” and insisted that Meloni’s statement was meant to “show solidarity with the French people affected by this terrible event and that in no way interfere in France’s internal affairs.”
“Frankly, I’ve been very surprised by this declaration from Macron. I was not expecting it. My reflection is not about France but about the risks of polarization,” Meloni told Sky later in the day.
“I am sorry Macron percieved it as interference. Interference is something else, for instance when a leader is elected by his citizens and a foreign country says we will monitor on the rule of law. That’s interference,” she added, in a reference to when the French government said it would monitor rule of law in Italy days after Meloni’s election win.
Earlier in the day, Macron said he was “struck by the fact that people who are nationalists, who don’t want to be bothered at home, are always the first to comment on what is happening in other countries.”
“If everyone just minded their own business, things would be just fine,” Macron said.
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