Brussels avoids assessing Meloni’s victory in Italy: “We never comment on election results”.

The European Commission on Monday avoided making assessments on Sunday’s victory in Italy of the far-right led by Giorgia Meloni on the grounds that it “never comments” on election results, although it pointed out that Brussels works with all governments that “emerge from the ballot box” in the Member States.

“We never comment on the outcome of national elections,” said the chief spokesman of the Community Executive Éric Mamer, at a press conference in Brussels when asked about the triumph of the far-right force and the support of the rest of the right.

“The Commission works with the governments that emerge from the ballot box in the elections of the countries of the European Union, it will not be different in this case,” he reiterated, adding that Brussels hopes to have a “constructive cooperation with the new Italian authorities” when a new government is appointed, following the constitutional procedures.

The spokesman of the Executive of Ursula von der Leyen has insisted that “it is not for the European Commission to comment on the election campaign” that has taken place in Italy or to try to analyze the reasons for the vote expressed by citizens.

“To see in these elections a kind of judgment on Europe seems to me an extreme simplification,” has warned the Community spokesman, who has also again denied that Von der Leyen wanted to compare with some statements on Friday the situation in Italy with the proceedings against Hungary and Poland for threatening the rule of law.

Mamer has insisted that they are different issues that the head of the Community Executive did not want to relate when she spoke about it during a colloquium at Princeton University (United States), obviating that it was Von der LEyen herself who mentioned these two countries when she was asked about the possible entry of the ultra-right into power in Italy.

“We will see what the results are (…). My position is that we will work together with any democratic government that is willing to work with us,” added the head of the Community Executive, to later point out that “if things go in a difficult direction — we spoke earlier about Poland and Hungary — we have instruments,” said Von der Leyen in Princeton.

Meloni’s party, founded in 2012 and with its roots in the Italian Social Movement (MSI) founded by followers of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, took 26.5 percent of the vote, according to data for more than 90 percent of the tally. The League of the ultra-right-wing Matteo Salvini obtained nine percent and Forza Italia, led by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, won eight percent of the votes.

In second place was Enrico Letta’s Democratic Party, with 19.4 percent; while in third place was Giuseppe Conte’s 5 Star Movement, with 14.8 percent of the ballots. Thus, the right-wing bloc made up of the parties of Meloni, Salvini and Berlusconi would obtain an absolute majority in both chambers.