Italy's Meloni vows to put national energy interests first

Far-right leader Giorgia Meloni is vowing to put Italy's national interests first in tackling soaring energy costs

Far-right leader Giorgia Meloni, who is poised to become Italy’s next premier, vowed Saturday to put national interests first in tackling soaring energy costs as she made her first public appearance since her Brothers of Italy party won the most votes in the country's national election.

Meloni addressed farmers and producers at an agricultural fair in Milan sponsored by Italy’s influential Coldiretti farm lobby, emerging from a week of closed-door meetings with allies and the outgoing government following the Sept. 25 vote that is poised to give Italy its first far-ight-led government since World War II.

Her appearance came after Germany this week announced it would spend up to 200 billion euros ($195 billion) helping consumers and businesses cope with surging energy prices due to Russia’s war in Ukraine, while refusing to back a European price cap on gas, as Italy and other countries have sought.

Meloni said if her government takes a similar action, it shouldn't be seen as some populist, nationalist reaction but rather a “lucid” strategy to “defend national interests to arrive at common solutions.”

“Italy’s posture must return to start off with the defense of its national interests to find common solutions,” Meloni told the farmers in Milan.

“That is something that will change in the coming months. It doesn’t mean having a negative stance toward others, it means having a positive one for ourselves that starts off from the defense of national interests, because everyone else is doing it,” she said.

Her speech came as Italian energy giant ENI reported that Russia's Gazprom said it could not confirm any gas deliveries Saturday via Austria.