Europe at a crossroads
The past week has seen Europe return forcefully to the center of both Italian and international political debate. Between public demonstrations, divisive statements, and high-stakes diplomatic summits, politics has moved on several fronts, attempting to shape the future of our continent in a time of crisis and transformation.
Last Saturday in Rome, Piazza del Popolo was filled with blue flags adorned with golden stars. Thousands of people gathered for the rally “A Square for Europe,” an event promoted by opposition political parties, trade unions, local administrators, and ordinary citizens. The aim? To reaffirm their commitment to the founding values of the European Union at a time when pro-European sentiment seems to be wavering under the pressure of nationalism and geopolitical tensions.
At the center of the debate came a strong statement from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni that shook the political landscape. On Wednesday, speaking before the Chamber of Deputies ahead of the European Council, Meloni provocatively read selected passages from the Ventotene Manifesto, attempting to discredit it as an anti-democratic and ideological document. Her words caused a stir, especially considering that the Manifesto – written in 1941 by Altiero Spinelli, Ernesto Rossi, and Eugenio Colorni while in fascist confinement – is considered one of the foundational texts of the European ideal.
The response was swift. The Democratic Party announced a flash mob for Saturday, March 22, on the island of Ventotene: the initiative, open to citizens and cultural figures, will include public readings of the Manifesto and a collective moment of reflection.
It is not excluded that Meloni’s statements also served to divert attention from the increasingly evident divisions within her coalition on foreign policy, especially regarding the war in Ukraine and Italy’s stance towards NATO and the European Union. While Forza Italia continues to uphold a pro-Atlantic, pro-European approach, the Lega has adopted a more cautious tone, leaning toward less interventionist positions. Even Meloni’s own party, FdI, is divided, with some members advocating for greater restraint in aligning with Brussels and Washington.
Against this backdrop, Meloni’s participation in the European Council on March 20–21 became a key test for the coherence of her international policy line. On the table were highly sensitive dossiers: support for Ukraine, the crisis in the Middle East, European defense cooperation, migration policies, and the Union’s economic outlook. Italy, speaking through the Prime Minister, reaffirmed its commitment to Ukraine’s security and stability, while taking a cautious stance on sending additional weapons. On migration, Meloni called for greater shared responsibility among member states, and on defense, she emphasized the need for increased industrial integration—without weakening individual national forces.
But the diplomatic front does not stop in Brussels. All eyes are now on Riyadh, where a high-level meeting is scheduled next Monday between delegations from the United States and Russia. The summit, mediated by Saudi Arabia, is expected to address the war in Ukraine, energy tensions, and rising global instability. No direct meeting between Biden and Putin has been officially confirmed, but there is talk of a potential face-to-face between top diplomats Blinken and Lavrov. The goal, ambitious but necessary, is to initiate a dialogue that could lead to a de-escalation of the conflict in Eastern Europe.
