Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday criticized the European Union’s competitiveness, saying the bloc is “increasingly doomed to geopolitical irrelevance.”
Speaking in the north-eastern Italian city of Rimini, Meloni said the EU is “unable to respond effectively to the challenges of competitiveness posed by China and the United States.”
Meloni’s comments echo those made by her predecessor and former European Central Bank president Mario Draghi, who has warned of Europe’s geopolitical and economic weakness.
In a 40-minute speech, Meloni said she had long foreseen this development, stressing that the foundations on which the EU and democracies are built are being called into question by “cynical autocracies.”
She called for the EU to rediscover its soul and roots.
Meloni, who leads the far-right Brothers of Italy, has been at the helm of a right-wing coalition in Italy since October 2022.
After taking a eurosceptic stance during the election campaign, she has shown herself to be more moderate since taking office.
