Taking on the global Left, Meloni says, when Trump, Milei, Modi and I talk, we are called a threat to democracy

Meloni said that “conservatives keep on growing, are becoming more and more influential in European politics, and that is why the Left is nervous and with Trump’s victory, their irritation has turned into hysteria, not only because conservatives are winning, but because conservatives are now collaborating globally”.

She said people vote for them as “we defend freedom, we love our nations, we want secure borders, we preserve businesses and citizens from the green Leftist insanity and we defend family life… We fight against wokeism…and we stand for common sense.”

People are not as naive as the Left considers them, she said.

Meloni said that the United States and Europe would remain close under Trump, despite soaring tensions between the allies, including over Ukraine.

“Our adversaries hope that President Trump will move away from us (Europe),” Meloni said. But, “knowing him as a strong and effective leader, I bet that those who hope for divisions will be proven wrong,” she said.

Her statements reflected the articulation by the Global Right, that had gathered at the annual congregation of the Conservatives in the US.

Meloni’s framing of India, led by Modi, as part of the coalition of the global conservatives is significant given the strains in the current Europe-US trans-Atlantic relationship and the new warmth between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Modi and Meloni have a strong rapport as both leaders have worked to turnaround the atrophy in the ties that had been adversely impacted over the issue of Italian marines and the corruption allegations in the defence sector.

The two have met regularly on the sidelines of the multilateral meetings — Meloni had visited India in March 2023 and then had come for the G20 summit in September 2023.

Meloni invited PM Modi for the G7 leaders’ summit in Italy in June 2024, after the Lok Sabha elections last year. This chemistry has been the cause of many viral tweets and memes, with the hashtag “Melodi”.

After a decade of setbacks, Indian and Italian diplomats feel that the public opinion on both sides have evolved into a positive framework, and there is acceptability of the improved nature of the ties.

Addressing the conference at National Harbor in Maryland, just outside Washington DC, Trump said, “We’re going to forge a new and lasting political majority that will drive American politics for generations to come.”

On the sidelines of the conference, Trump met with conservative Polish President Andrzej Duda amid rising tensions in Europe over Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Russia-US partnership towards defusing the conflict with Ukraine and Europe not at the table.

After he took the stage, Trump saluted Duda and Milei. Trump called Duda “a fantastic man and a great friend of mine” and said “you must be doing something right, hanging out with Trump.” He noted that Milei was “a MAGA guy, too, Make Argentina Great Again.” —(With PTI)