Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Sparks Controversy Over Remarks on Islamic Culture and European Values
Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, expressed her belief that there is a compatibility problem between Islamic culture and the values of European civilization. She highlighted concerns about the financing of Islamic cultural centers in Italy by Saudi Arabia, where Sharia law is in force. Meloni, a member of the far-right party Brothers of Italy, made these remarks during a political festival organized by her party in Rome. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, present at the event, emphasized the need for global reforms to the asylum system, warning that a growing number of refugees could overwhelm parts of Europe. Elon Musk, during a rare appearance at the gathering, asserted that immigration alone is insufficient to combat population decline and stressed the importance of preserving cultural identity.
🚨Watch: #GiorgiaMeloni: "I believe… there is a problem of compatibility between Islamic culture and the values and rights of our civilization… Will not allow Sharia law to be implemented in italy…. values of our civilization are different! pic.twitter.com/VGWNix7936
— Geopolitical Kid (@Geopoliticalkid) December 18, 2023
A five-year-old video of Meloni resurfaced on social media, echoing her views on the compatibility problem between Islamic culture and European values. In the video, she criticized Saudi Arabia’s Sharia law, particularly its treatment of apostasy and homosexuality. Meloni argued that addressing these issues doesn’t entail generalizing about Islam but is an acknowledgment of a process of Islamization in Europe that diverges from the continent’s values. The video emerged a day after the political event in Rome, attended by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who emphasized the need to tackle the refugee issue and suggested joint co-financing with Italy for the return journey of migrants stranded in Tunisia.
