Weakening the Fascist Card
What benefits do these two politicians, representing contrasting sides of the political spectrum, derive from their uneasy alliance?
Let’s begin with Giorgia Meloni. Given her controversial past, her political adversaries frequently brandish the “fascist” label as a potent weapon against her. As DR’s Europe correspondent, Anna Gaarslev, notes, the dynamics shift significantly when one of her closest allies happens to be a leader from the social democratic camp.
“The largest opposition party in Italy, the Partito Democratico (PD), falls within the social democratic family and is relentless in using the fascist card against Meloni,” Gaarslev explains. “Thus, it’s remarkably astute for her to showcase a close alliance with a prominent European social democrat.”
Despite her roots in the far-right, Meloni is under increasing pressure regarding illegal migration, notably from Roberto Vannacci, a defector from Lega who now leads his party, Futuro Nazionale.
“Meloni is eager to portray herself as the toughest figure on migration to reassure Italians,” observes Gaarslev. “It’s worth noting that Italy, under her leadership, has legalized over 500,000 migrants due to a pressing labor shortage—a fact the Italian government seems reluctant to highlight.”
A Need for Symbolism in Allies
On the other hand, Mette Frederiksen finds in Meloni a valuable ally to reinforce her tough stance on immigration policies. Political analyst Rikke Gjøl Mansø elaborates on this strategy.
“Mette Frederiksen needs a formidable ally with compelling symbolism, like Meloni, to fortify her position in the Danish immigration debate. The Social Democrats are facing renewed pressure from the Danish People’s Party, which, under Morten Messerschmidt, has made immigration the central conflict against them.”
This urgency was palpable on Wednesday, when the Folketing was called into an emergency debate concerning the surge of migrants from Morocco to Ceuta.
“Given this context, I doubt it’s merely coincidence that Mette Frederiksen chose to stand alongside Meloni at this moment, especially as she braces for intense scrutiny in Parliament. The pressure is undoubtedly coming from Morten Messerschmidt,” Mansø asserts.
