France recalls Ambassador from Rome

France has withdrawn its Ambassador in Rome on Thursday temporarily, as the Ministry of foreign Affairs in Paris announced. After a series of "extreme statements" in Italy, internal consultations were necessary, it was said.

of France, in the Meeting of the Italian Deputy heads of government and Minister of economy, Luigi Di Maio with yellow the West, in Paris, a "provocation" and an interference in the internal politics, such as the Ministry reaffirmed. The operation was "unprecedented since the end of the war," said a spokeswoman.

interior Minister Matteo Salvini from the xenophobic Lega Nord party, who is also Deputy head of the government stated after the recall of the French Ambassador: "We want to argue with anyone." He offered the President of France, Emmanuel Macron and the French government to a Meeting. It should be the refugee policy.

"divorce Italian style" with a Paris

The politicians of the populist Five-star movement (M5S) had met on Tuesday with several candidates of the protest movement who want to compete for the European elections at the end of may. The Gilets jaunes demanding the resignation of Macron. This is already for a long time with Rome in the conflict – in part because of the restrictive immigration policy of Italy.

Almost four months before the European elections, the government in Rome to support the protest movement in France. The French political scientist Dominique Moïsi, the operations are reminiscent of the romantic drama, "divorce Italian style" with Marcello Mastroianni, 1961: "the Italian government, which supports the extent of opposition forces in France – the in the European Union is unprecedented", says the scientist, the geopolitics at the College of Europe teaches in Warsaw.

"yellow West – remains steadfast!" – with this Slogan Di Maio of the populist Five-star movement had encouraged the protesters, already to the beginning of the year. Minister of the interior, Salvini said that he supported the "honorable citizens" in Protest against President Macron, the "rule against his people".

This week, Di Maio met in Paris several candidates of the "yellow vests" for the European elections at the end of may, and a spokesman for the protest movement, Christophe Chalençon. This is due to the xenophobic and Islamophobic Remarks controversial. The procedure is an Affront to Macron. The crisis between Italy and France is coming to a head, which has begun with the arrival of the new government in Rome in March of last year and prior to the temporary withdrawal of the French representative in Rome to Call the ambassadors of both sides had led.

"Progressive" against the "populists"

Inflamed by the conflict in the refugee policy: Macron threw Rome "cynicism" and "irresponsibility" after Italy refused to rescue vessels with migrants in his ports.

But, quickly, a in the direction of dispute between "Progressive," as Macron is called, and "populists". The French head of state has declared the elections a referendum on both bearings.

the Macron is the escalation is not quite innocent: In a speech with a view to the European elections at the end of the year, he compared the populists with the "leprosy" – a remark which met in Rome in indignation. A video clip of the French government for the European elections shows Salvini and the Hungarian head of government Viktor Orban as a representative of a "splitting" of Europe, and menacing music plays.

Salvini called Macron a "very bad President". Macron back quipped and said: "The Italian people is our friend and deserves a leader worthy of its history."

relationship links

turned all the characters between Rome and Paris were a year ago on approach. Both countries wanted a "Quirinal-contract" close – similar to the Aachen-based contract, the Macron, and the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, agreed on in January.

The German-French friendship was not "exclusive," stressed Macron in January 2018, according to a harmonious Meeting with the former Italian head of Government, Paolo Gentiloni, in Rome. "Our connection to Italy is of a special nature."

Only a year later, this sentence has a completely different sound. Diplomats and experts in Paris and Brussels Worry that the tensions with Italy could block European projects – not only the difficult Reform of the common asylum policy.

political scientist Moïsi back the dispute to the part on the election campaign bluster. After the European elections, the possibilities for a compromise to be "bigger", he believes. The main thing is that, the conflict ends, as in the Film "divorce Italian style": fatal.

(fal/mac/sda)

Created: 07.02.2019, 14:15 Uhr