Meloni abstains on VDL, votes No to Costa and Kallas

(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 28 - Premier Giorgia Meloni abstained in the EU summit vote that nominated former German defence minister Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as European Commission chief while voting No to former Portuguese premier Antonio Costa as new European Council chair and to Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as new EU foreign policy chief.
    The Italian leader said the pre-summit deal between von der Leyen's European People's Party (EPP), Costa's Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and Kallas's liberal Renew Europe to nominate the trio was "wrong in method and substance".
    She also reiterated her view that the agreement between the European Parliament's biggest pro-European groups flew in the face of the European electorate's will expressed in the recent European elections where the right made gains and her European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group narrowly overtook the liberals as third biggest force in the EP.
    "The proposal formulated by the popular, socialist and liberal parties for the new European summits is wrong in method and substance," said the leader of Italy's ruling rightwing Brothers of Italy (FDI) party on X.
    "I decided not to support it out of respect for the citizens and the indications that came from those citizens in the elections.
    "Let us continue working to finally give Italy the weight it deserves in Europe".
    Meloni also said it would be "shameful" if the European establishment penalised Italy because of her choice to abstain on von der Leyen and vote against the other two top job nominations.
    "I don't agree that a contrary vote puts at risk our position in the EU," she said.
    "It would be disgraceful if they made us pay", Meloni said after the summit ended late into the night after a long dinner on Friday morning.
    Meloni's ally Viktor Orban voted against von der Leyen, in favour of Costa and abstained on Kallas.
    The approval of only 15 of the 27 members states was enough to secure approval for the nominations but it may be a different story in the European Parliament next month when secret voting could bring down the majority of the EPP, S&D and Renew on the triumvirate.
    The majority may be broadened to avoid so-called 'sniping' to include the Greens, although Italy has been pushing for the ECR to be included in the majority at the expense of the Greens despite a veto from the Socialists to what it called a "far right" grouping. (ANSA).