French President Emmanuel Macron promised Sunday to work with Giorgia Meloni with "dialogue and ambition", after his first meeting with Italy's new prime minister in Rome.
Shortly before he tweeted the comment, Macron thanked outgoing premier Mario Draghi in a post featuring a photo of the former European Central Bank chief and the words: "Grazie (thank you) Mario."
Four weeks after Meloni's post-fascist Brothers of Italy party won general elections, Meloni assumed office in a handover ceremony with outgoing premier Mario Draghi, before gathering her cabinet.
"We must be united, there are emergencies the country is facing. We have to work together," the 45-year-old told her ministers during their first meeting, lasting half an hour.
The new government is the most far-right in Italy since World War II, and takes power at a time of soaring inflation and an energy crisis linked to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Her government has already been rocked by tensions within Meloni's coalition, which includes Matteo Salvini's far-right League party and former premier Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing Forza Italia.
>> Read more: Meloni rages as Berlusconi’s ‘vodka gifts’ from Putin hijack Italy’s coalition talks
Meloni was forced this week to repeat her unwavering support for Ukraine and Western sanctions against Russia after Berlusconi was recorded defending President Vladimir Putin.
The prospect of a Eurosceptic, populist government taking the helm of the eurozone's third largest economy has already sparked concern among Italy's allies, particularly in the European Union.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday she had a "good first call" with Meloni, saying she looked forward to "constructive cooperation".
Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany said he wanted to keep "working closely together with Italy in EU, NATO and G7" – a sentiment Meloni reflected in responses to congratulatory messages on Twitter.
'Friendly and fruitful'
Meloni's office described Sunday's talks with Macron as informal but "friendly and fruitful", covering the need for urgent and common action on high energy bills, support for Ukraine and migration.
"Meloni and Macron agreed on the willingness to continue to cooperate on the major common challenges at the European level and in respect of mutual national interests," it said in a statement.
A statement from Macron's office described the talks as "pragmatic and constructive", but also "frank".
Macron's aides had refused to confirm the meeting with Meloni until the last minute, and it came during his pre-planned trip to Rome and the Vatican.
In a tweet accompanied by a photo of him and Meloni on a rooftop at dusk, Macron insisted on the need for the two countries to keep working together "as Europeans, neighbouring countries and friends".
However, Macron's entourage made it clear that they would judge Meloni on her actions.
As a teenage activist, Meloni praised late dictator Benito Mussolini, but she now insists fascism is history. She has transformed her once-marginal party into a national force.
As the only real opposition to Draghi's national unity government, Meloni swept up disillusioned voters and secured 26 percent of the vote last month.
She presents herself as a straight-talking "Christian mother", a defender of traditional values and of Italy's national interests, but her party has never before held power.
>> Read more: How Giorgia Meloni took over the Italian right – and then the country
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
