Italy: What will Rishi Sunak look for in Giorgia Meloni?
Giorgia Meloni is organizing her "political festival" in Rome this weekend. Among the guests of previous editions: personalities of the global hard right such as Steve Bannon or Viktor Orban. This year, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is further strengthening ties with his "political soulmate" Giorgia Meloni.
Giorgia Meloni receives Rishi Sunak at Palazzo Chigi in Rome, December 16, 2023. AFP - ISABELLA BONOTTO
By: RFI Follow
Advertising
Read More
With our correspondent in London, Émeline Vin
The presence of the British Prime Minister at the Atreju political festival in Rome is a way of returning favour to his Italian counterpart: in November 2023, Giorgia Meloni was the only leader to have attended the artificial intelligence summit organised by Rishi Sunak.
Many similarities
At every international summit, the two heads of government have their picture taken exchanging a joke or a smile. Both have many things in common: forty-somethings, who came to power almost at the same time, pioneers (Meloni being the first woman to power in Italy, and Sunak the first non-white to lead the United Kingdom). It is especially on immigration that the two policies share the most similarities. Each defends a hard-line, pro-reduction approach to the arrival of asylum seekers on their shores.
Migration agreements
Moreover, the two leaders will first meet this Saturday with their Albanian counterpart, Edi Rama. And Rome and London have concluded migration agreements this year with Tirana. Italy is set to build asylum processing centres there, a project that could inspire Rishi Sunak.
Read alsoAlbania suspends controversial migration agreement with Italy
NewsletterGet all the latest international news straight to your inbox
Subscribe now
Keep up to date with all the latest international news by downloading the RFI app
Share:
Read on the same topics:
- United Kingdom
- Rishi Sunak
- Italy
- Giorgia Meloni
- Diplomacy
- International Migration