Rearmament, energy, reforms, but also Gaza: Meloni with helmet in the Senate

Quiet and proud, because 'she has the results on her side'. This is how, according to collaborators, Giorgia Meloni is preparing to cross the threshold of the Senate today at 1.30 p.m. - an early time to allow live TV coverage in the afternoon at the start of the Conclave - and to face the barrage of opposition at her fourth Premier Time. An appointment with Parliament that the Prime Minister has been missing since January 2024 and that had been set for 23 April, but was postponed after the death of Pope Francis. The nine questions on the agenda are thorny: military spending, the outcome of the meeting with Donald Trump in Washington, tariffs (Meloni will not stop working under the radar at the US-EU summit), gas and high utility bills, reforms, the economy and the Pnrr.

It goes without saying that the climate will perhaps heat up more than it did the last time, when the Chamber of Montecitorio was inflamed around the Stellantis dispute, the Stability Pact and the Palestinian issue, which could be raised in Palazzo Madama. "Her silence on Gaza is a national disgrace," M5S leader Giuseppe Conte attacked on "DiMartedì" in the evening, accusing the premier of lying on all fronts, work in primis. Meloni could take advantage of this to come out clearly in defence of civilians and distance herself from the latest moves by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Matteo Renzi (Italia Viva) also promises battle: 'Giorgia Meloni is the present of Italy and in my opinion she is not capable of leading the country. I want to avoid Giorgia Meloni being the future of Italy'. Renzi anticipated that he will press the premier on the three reforms he considers crucial to approve by the end of the legislature, in an attempt to unveil the game plan and verify the intention to postpone the referendum on the premierate until after the general elections. Elly Schlein's Pd will urge Meloni on the 'blatant failure of the bill decree' and on the commitments made with Trump to expand purchases of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US. Avs will focus on the investment increases promised to the US. The premier will repeat what she said in the 2 May interview with Adnkronos: 'With the US we are loyal, never subordinate'.

Meloni is not worried. She is presenting herself to the senators with open cards: in the same interview she has already made clear her desire to run again. The fragile start of the government of Friedrich Merz in Germany, who was only elected tenth chancellor on the second ballot (a unicum in German history), strengthens her as the most stable leader in Europe. In her congratulations to Merz, she said she was certain that collaboration between Italy and Germany 'is fundamental' in order to achieve important results together, including at EU, G7 and NATO level and on the main international dossiers' and to 'make a difference' in relaunching competitiveness, particularly in the automotive sector, 'in building equal partnerships with Africa and in combating irregular immigration'.

But on one point the paths of Rome and Berlin diverge: the financing of deficit rearmament. Both the Pentastellist Patuanelli and Calenda (Action) will ask Meloni about military spending. The premier will reiterate what she said at the White House: Italy will reach 2% of GDP. On the hypothesis of further increases, she will not be unbalanced. The Readiness 2030 plan is likely to enter the orbit of the Supreme Defence Council convened by President Sergio Mattarella tomorrow. And that the Prime Minister will reiterate the line held so far by the government: Italy will not accumulate any more debt. The NATO summit on 24 June in The Hague will be decisive in understanding how far the spending bar will have to be raised. In the meantime, Paris and Madrid are looking for backing for the solution that Rome would like: a common European debt.