A close ally of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has defended her against criticism for allegedly shifting policies on illegal migration, stating that Meloni remains consistent while Europe has changed. Italian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Edmondo Cirielli, a key figure in Meloni's party, emphasized Italy's influence on the European Union's conservative stance.
Italy's declining birth rates, reaching a record low in 2023, have prompted the government to allocate approximately 1 billion Euros in its 2024 budget to address the demographic crisis. Cirielli highlighted that this issue extends beyond Italy to Western Europe as a whole.
