Meloni and von der Leyen meet at Palazzo Chigi

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met today at Palazzo Chigi with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The meeting, which took place during von der Leyen's visit to Rome to participate in the presentation of a book dedicated to David Sassoli, focused centrally on the migration issue.

Meloni asked the European Commission President for a firm commitment to a common European position on combating irregular immigration. Also placed on the table for discussions was the Italian request for common rules against human smugglers, highlighting the need for a coordinated approach among European Union member states.

Today's meeting represents a step forward in relations between Italy and European institutions on the thorny issue of migration, which has divided the continent for years. The problem originates from the large migratory flows toward Europe that began after the Arab Spring of 2011 and the war in Syria, with hundreds of thousands of people attempting to reach European shores by sea, often via dangerous routes managed by traffickers.

Due to its geographical position in the central Mediterranean, Italy is one of the main first-arrival countries. Over the years, various Italian governments have called on the EU for a mandatory redistribution system of migrants among all member states and greater resources to control external borders. Von der Leyen's visit follows Meloni's first international trip precisely to Brussels, signaling the importance that the current government places on dialogue with the EU on this issue crucial to national security.