Rome, Dec 18: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has stirred controversy by making anti-Islam remarks at a right-wing party event on Saturday. Meloni, who leads the neo-fascist Brothers of Italy party, said that Islam and Europe have a “compatibility problem” and that there is “no place for Islam in Europe”.
Meloni also targeted Saudi Arabia for its strict implementation of Sharia law, which she said was incompatible with human rights and democracy. She claimed that Saudi Arabia was funding Islamic centers in Italy to spread its influence and ideology. She called for a ban on the use of garages and warehouses as mosques, saying that they were signs of the “Islamisation” of Italy.
Meloni’s comments have drawn criticism from various quarters, including Muslim groups, human rights activists, and opposition parties. They have accused her of spreading Islamophobia, hatred, and division in the country. They have also warned that her rhetoric could fuel violence and discrimination against Muslims, who make up about 4 percent of Italy’s population.
The Italian Council for Relations with Islam (CIRI), a body that represents Muslim associations in Italy, issued a statement condemning Meloni’s remarks as “unacceptable and dangerous”. It said that Meloni was “ignorant” of the diversity and richness of Islam and its contribution to European civilization. It also urged the Italian government and institutions to protect the rights and dignity of Muslims and to promote dialogue and coexistence.
The leader of the center-left Democratic Party, Enrico Letta, also denounced Meloni’s speech as “shameful and irresponsible”. He said that Meloni was “playing with fire” and “undermining the unity and security of the country”. He called on the Italian president, Sergio Mattarella, to intervene and defend the constitutional values of Italy.
Meloni, however, has defended her stance, saying that she was not against Muslims, but against “Islamic extremism and terrorism”. She said that she was expressing the “common sense” of the majority of Italians, who were concerned about the “invasion” of Islam in Europe. She also accused her critics of being “hypocrites” and “traitors” who were “selling out” Italy’s identity and sovereignty.
Meloni’s anti-Islam remarks are not new. She has been vocal about her opposition to immigration, multiculturalism, and Islam for years. She has also supported the conspiracy theory of the “Great Replacement”, which claims that Muslims are replacing the native European population through migration and high birth rates. She has also written a foreword to a book titled “The First Report on Europe’s Islamisation”, which was published by a right-wing think tank in 2022.
Meloni’s party, the Brothers of Italy, is a descendant of the post-fascist Italian Social Movement, which was founded by supporters of the former dictator Benito Mussolini. The party is part of the ruling coalition with the far-right League and the center-right Forza Italia. Meloni became the prime minister in October 2023, after winning the general elections with 26 percent of the vote. She is the first woman and the youngest person to hold the office in Italy’s history.
