Tajani distances himself from Salvini: "Meloni and I will maintain relations with France. But we won't send our troops to Kiev."

Tensions between France and Italy following Deputy Prime Minister and League leader Matteo Salvini's attack on President Emmanuel Macron over troops in Ukraine ("Macron should hang on to the tram, put on his helmet and go himself")? "Foreign policy is made by the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister. If arguments need to be asserted, you win with the strength of ideas, not with the violence of words." Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti's proposal to use bank profits from the drop in the spread to help families? "The hunt for the bank means the hunt for the Italian industrial and entrepreneurial system. No to raids or bizarre operations." Does Salvini continue to speak generically of peace, glossing over guarantees for Kiev? "In recent hours, along with my G7 colleagues, we have sent a strong political signal of support to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister to achieve a just and lasting peace, based on Ukrainian sovereign decisions. We are working towards solid security guarantees, which must foster peace and stability in Europe."

Antonio Tajani appears at the Rimini Meeting, as is now tradition, firmly intent on reiterating Forza Italia's commitments to its Lega ally. And the long-distance duel between the two deputy prime ministers is set to continue, given that Salvini is expected in Rimini on Tuesday. All this while Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who sources at Palazzo Chigi describe as irritated by Salvini's new anti-French outbursts just days before the Washington summit on Ukraine and by the general tone of the political debate within the majority, is staying in her Puglia retreat for a few more days before resuming her activities, bringing the parade of politicians to a close at the Meeting on Wednesday evening.

Let's start with foreign policy, for which Tajani is responsible. The distinctions I make with Salvini don't naturally extend, in line with Meloni's own strategy, to embracing Macron's position. The rejection of Italian troops in Ukraine remains, but so does the proposal to extend NATO's Article 5 to Ukraine, and thus the willingness to intervene with allies in the event of an attack. "Progress is also being made on the Italian proposal to have a NATO Article 5-style guarantee, with an American presence," Tajani says. "We're not in favor of sending troops, but we could make a significant contribution given our extensive experience in both maritime and land mine clearance. Then we'll see how things go. Progress has also been made in terms of coordination on this type of proposal." Regarding the incident with Macron, who summoned the Italian ambassador to Paris after Salvini's attack, Tajani tries to pour oil on troubled waters: "There is no diplomatic crisis with France. I spoke at length yesterday with my counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot, and we prepared for the G7 Foreign Affairs meeting. I think it's important to point out that foreign policy relations are managed by the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister, and discussions between the Prime Minister and the French President, as well as mine with the French Foreign Minister, are frequent."

On the economic front, as has been the case in recent months with the prospect of a tax on banks' excess profits, Tajani's resistance is equally high. "Banks are businesses. I don't think we need to pinch them, but we need to talk to them, because a country like ours cannot do without a strong banking system. They must pay taxes like everyone else, but I oppose the principle of excess profits." And again: "Be careful: going after the bank means going after the Italian industrial and entrepreneurial system." The same goes for "the pension funds" of professionals, which "will never be included in the INPS as long as Forza Italia is in government." A project that is not currently in the plans, while on the social security front the sterilization of the retirement age is maturing, which without any intervention would increase by three months in 2027. "I spoke about it with Giorgetti, he is willing to include the measure in the Budget Law," says the League Undersecretary for Labor Claudio Durigon, also at the CL event.