Dinner in Rome

Nehammer: Asylum axis with right-wing “friend” Meloni

Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) met spontaneously with Italy's right-wing head of government Giorgia Meloni in Rome.(Bild: Screenshot/X.com)

Following the unsatisfactory National Council elections for the ÖVP, Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) took a break from domestic politics at the weekend and made a short trip to Rome. There he also met Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. He posted a photo of their dinner together on Instagram and emphasized the Austrian-Italian axis in the fight against illegal migration. 

"Meloni and I now have a friendship," enthused the ÖVP leader on Instagram.

Chancellor appreciates Meloni's "perseverance"
And added: "I appreciate her assertiveness and consistency in the fight against illegal migration and for robust protection of the EU's external borders."

"Pulling in the same direction"
Austria and Italy are "pulling in the same direction", the Chancellor continued. "We are both pleased that Austria will also provide the Commissioner for Migration in the future; the fight against illegal migration is one of the future issues of the European Union."

Magnus Brunner is known to be responsible for migration and home affairs in the European Commission. 

Meloni's right-wing populist party Fratelli d'Italia has been part of the right-wing conservative group "European Conservatives and Reformers" (ECR) in the EU Parliament since the 2019 EU elections, which with 83 MEPs is the third strongest force in the EU Parliament behind the conservative EPP (to which the ÖVP belongs) and the Social Democrats.

Meloni is politically closer to Nehammer than FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl, who is closer to Matteo Salvini and his Lega in Italy. Meloni turned down the new EU group "Patriots for Europe" founded by Kickl in June. 

Nehammer with VdB on Monday, talks with Babler on Tuesday
Next week, things will heat up again for Nehammer in terms of domestic policy. A meeting with SPÖ leader Andreas Babler is planned for Tuesday. Both party leaders have already been invited to talks with Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen on Monday.

A meeting between Karl Nehmammer and Andreas Babler will take place next Tuesday.(Bild: Krone KREATIV, APA, AFP)

Both the ÖVP and SPÖ have always emphasized that they do not want to form a government with the FPÖ under Kickl. However, the ÖVP and SPÖ would only have a wafer-thin majority in the National Council. For this reason, a third coalition partner, i.e. NEOS or the Greens, would be an advantage.