Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, who leads the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, is “looking forward” to continue “meaningful cooperation” between Italy and Libya on migration and energy after far-right leader Giorgia Meloni was sworn-in as new Italian prime minister.
Dbeibeh took to Twitter on Saturday to congratulate Meloni as the first woman to become premier of Italy and wished her “the best of luck”.
Meloni thanked her Libyan counterpart in a reply tweet, adding “I look forward to working together, enforcing our bilateral cooperation on the common challenges we are facing.”
Many thanks @Dabaibahamid. I look forward to working together, enforcing our bilateral cooperation on the common challenges we are facing.
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) October 22, 2022
Meloni’s Brothers of Italy took 26% of the national vote in Italy’s latest election. Her party is seen as the successor to Italy’s old fascist movement. She began her career in politics in the Italian Social Movement, a post-war movement that rose out of dictator Benito Mussolini’s fascists.
In August, she sparked criticism from several Italian policymakers after she called for a “naval blockade” on Libya to stop migrants leaving the North African country for Europe through the Mediterranean Sea.
Italy elects far-right leader who wants to impose “naval blockade” on Libya