Giorgia Meloni distances herself from Trump after a painful defeat. “He has become toxic, even on the right.”
— The West is based on two pillars: European and American. If they do not move in the same direction, there is a risk of paralysis, Meloni warned in a speech to parliament on Thursday, adding that she still “believes in the need to work to ensure Western unity.”
Her allies blame the failure on rising energy prices caused by the war in Iran and her friendship with Trump.
– Until then [wybuchu wojny z Iranem] we were leading, and then there was a dramatic decline,” an MP from the government coalition told POLITICO. “For better or worse, in the collective imagination the right wing was associated with Donald Trump,” he added.
Nicola Lupo, a professor of public law at LUISS University, said the referendum and poll results suggest there are political costs to allying with Trump, adding that across Europe, being seen as an ally of the US president ““has become toxic — even on the right.”
The Italian prime minister used her speech on Thursday to publicly highlight the differences between her and the American leader for the first time since Trump's re-election in 2024.
Giorgia Meloni and Donald Trump during the summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, October 13, 2025.AFP
“As is always the case among allies, we must speak clearly, even when we disagree,” Meloni said in parliament. She then listed episodes in which she said her government stood up to the White House — from tariffs “which we have repeatedly characterized as a wrong decision” to defending “the honor of our soldiers in Afghanistan who have been described as useless” to protecting the territorial integrity of Greenland with European allies.
Change of course
Meloni's Thursday remarks represent a clear rhetorical shift in her alliance with Trump — which is highly unpopular in Italy — compared to a softer stance earlier this year.
Meloni described Trump's tariffs on European countries that sent troops to Greenland as a “mistake,” but justified the decision as a “misunderstanding.” She also supported the idea of awarding Trump the Nobel Peace Prize.
However, the sharp increase in energy prices related to the conflict in the Middle East turns out to be particularly dangerous for it from a political point of view.
— The war has created uncertainty and there has been a sense of fear among those concerned about rising gasoline prices, said Paolo Barelli of the center-right Forza Italia party, which is part of the coalition government, after the election defeat.
A report published by the Bank of Italy on Friday revised its economic growth forecasts downwards due to “extremely high uncertainty”, suggesting that the impact of the war in Iran on the Italian energy market and economy may lead to a recession.
Giorgia Meloni visits Algeria to increase gas imports, March 25, 2026.NurPhoto via AFP
These restrictions make it difficult for Meloni's government to find funds for its final pre-election budget next year and to provide money to voters.
In this context, she used the speech to reiterate a proposal already made by her ministers – which was rejected by the Commission – to temporarily suspend the Stability and Growth Pact if the conflict in the Middle East continues.
On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said suspending the pact was a “priority” of the government and compared EU debt rules to a “straitjacket.” European officials have also started to signal openness to the proposal. French European Commissioner Stephane Sejourne said that in light of the crisis The EU does not rule out greater flexibility.
