Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has ignited controversy with her remarks addressing perceived compatibility issues between Islam and European values. During a gathering of her right-wing party, Meloni touched on the subject of Saudi-backed Islamic cultural centers in Italy, asserting a compatibility problem between certain interpretations of Islamic culture and the principles of European civilization.
In viral videos circulating on the Internet, Meloni expressed concern about the funding sources of many Islamic cultural centers in Italy, noting the significant contribution from Saudi Arabia. She also delved into contentious issues such as “lapidation for adultery” and “the death penalty for apostasy and homosexuality,” emphasizing the need to address these issues. Meloni clarified that her intent was not to generalize about Islam but to raise awareness about what she perceives as a process of Islamization in Europe that diverges from the values of Western civilization.
These remarks follow a meeting between the leaders of Italy and the UK, where they committed to addressing irregular migration to Europe and enhancing collaboration to combat human trafficking. During talks in Rome, Prime Minister Meloni and her British counterpart Rishi Sunak, along with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, emphasized the importance of joint efforts in managing migrant arrivals from North Africa.
A statement from Meloni’s office revealed that discussions with Sunak primarily focused on migration-related initiatives outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding signed in London in April. The leaders agreed to co-fund the first Italian-British project facilitating assisted voluntary repatriations for migrants stranded in Tunisia, as proposed by the International Organization for Migration.
Meloni, Sunak, and Rama emphasized the necessity of structured cooperation to manage irregular migration and combat human trafficking more effectively. The leaders also addressed broader geopolitical issues, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East. The growing partnership between Sunak and Meloni underscores their shared commitment to addressing migration challenges, with Albania and Italy playing pivotal roles in these collaborative efforts.
