The Italian government’s relations with the EU and with European and G7 leaders

In the first half of 2024, the Italian government has confirmed a collaborative approach with the European Union institutions and leaders based on pragmatism, in particular in the economic sector, on the support to Ukraine against the Russian aggression, and on migration. In parallel, Meloni has consolidated her relations with international leaders and realunched her political agenda, in particular the Mattei Plan for Africa, through the Italian Presidency of the G7. The campaign for the June European elections has exposed political divergences on European affairs within the government’s coalition, and Giorgia Meloni has been marginalised in the negotiations for the new EU top positions, then partly recovered through the assignment of a weighty role to the Italian Commissioner. This chapter illustrates the political trajectory of the Italian government in its European and foreign policy, also in light of the recent electoral results in the United States, and identifies the possible repercussions on the role of the country at European and international level.
Keywords: European Union; G7; pragmatism; Atlanticism; minilateralism