Refugees besiege the border to Italy: Prime Minister Meloni therefore wants the support of Scholz. To this end, Rome is helping the chancellor out of the energy crunch.
Rome - During the election campaign, Giorgia Meloni was still "allergic" to Germany. But after her inauguration, Italy's new head of government suddenly struck a conciliatory tone. Because at the borders, the influx of refugees does not subside - and without German consent, the post-fascist will not achieve a change in EU asylum law. That is why the government in Rome is now ensnaring Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). The lure: the solution to all hydrogen problems. What's behind the new community of convenience?
Scholz meets Meloni: Debate on refugees during visit to Rome
In any case, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is expected to pay a state visit to Rome on Thursday (8 June). Parallel to the meeting of EU interior ministers, the head of government wants to discuss the refugee problem at Europe's external borders with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. It is the chancellor's first trip to the Italian capital since the leader of the radical right-wing party "Fratelli d'Italia" took over the government in October.
She needs help with the refugees, he with hydrogen: Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) are forging a new alliance. © Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
Ahead of Rome visit: Scholz assures Italy of help in dealing with refugees
Before leaving for Rome, Scholz assured the host country of his solidarity in taking in refugees. Italy, Greece and other EU states on the Mediterranean are facing a major challenge because the number of refugees arriving there is increasing, the SPD politician told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, adding: "And we must not leave Italy and the others alone with this, but pursue an approach of solidarity and responsibility."
At the same time, Scholz called for an agreement on a fundamental reform of the European asylum system. "We need a solidary distribution of responsibility and responsibility between the EU states as well as compliance with the standards for protection seekers in asylum procedures and integration in the EU states."
Refugee crisis: In addition to Scholz and Meloni, the interior ministers also meet at the EU summit
Parallel to the Chancellor's trip, the interior ministers of the European Union (EU) are trying to launch a major reform of the European asylum system in Luxembourg. This involves a much more rigid approach to migrants with no prospect of staying and an obligation to support the particularly heavily burdened member states at the EU's external borders, including Italy. However, the new course is highly controversial - even within the German traffic light government. The Greens, in particular, are bothered by a tougher crackdown.
In Italy, meanwhile, the population is insisting on a clear course. Meloni owes her electoral success last year above all to her promise to stop migration flows from North Africa. But so far she has not been able to follow up her battle slogans with deeds. Meloni's record is rather meager. More than 50,000 refugees have arrived in Italy since the beginning of 2023, four times as many as a year earlier. And there could be more. The Italian foreign intelligence service AISE has warned that another 700,000 migrants are ready for the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean, the Berliner Morgenpost reported.
Deportation and asylum procedures: This is what Meloni wants from Scholz
Against this background, Meloni wants to enforce asylum procedures in third countries, the faster deportation of rejected asylum seekers and the fight against smuggling gangs at EU level. But for that she needs the backing of Scholz. It seems clear to her that she won't get it through a confrontational course. Already after taking office, she surprised many observers because she did not go on Putin's cuddling course and instead loudly supported the EU sanctions. She also rejected her quote that she was "allergic" to Germany. "I don't know when I should have said that," she said quite tamely on her first visit to Berlin.
Leverage of the head of government: Italy should supply Germany with hydrogen
In addition to the soft tones, Prime Minister Meloni also has a great deal of leverage up her sleeve, namely the export of 4.4 megatons of green hydrogen from North Africa. For example, the Italian gas network operator SNAM, which has been working with the German Allianz Capital Partners since 2016, operates the "South H2 Corridor" route, which is to run from Tunisia and Algeria via Italy and Austria to Bavaria by 2030 at the latest. In this way, 1.7 megatons could reach Germany and a large part of the demand for the desired energy transition could be covered. It is unlikely that the chancellor will be able to say no. (jkf/mit dpa
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