FdI-led Italy to be reliable at international level pledges Meloni

(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 28 - Brothers of Italy (FdI) leader Giorgia Meloni said Thursday that Italy will be a reliable international partner if a right/centre-right coalition led by her party wins the September 25 general election.
    "We reiterate that we will guarantee, with no ambiguity, the Italian position (on the international arena) and the absolute support of the heroic battle of the Ukraine people (against the Russian invasion)," Meloni told her party's national directorate.
    "We can say that an Italy led by Brothers of Italy and the centre right will be an Italy that is reliable at the international level".
    Meloni looks set to become Italy's next premier if, as expected, the right/centre-right coalition wins the general election after the alliance agreed that the party that gets most votes should pick the name to put to President Sergio Mattarella.
    The agreement was reached at a meeting of right/centre-right leaders on Wednesday after the issue of the future premier had caused some turmoil within the alliance.
    Meloni, whose right-wing party is currently top of the opinion polls, laid down an ultimatum on Monday, saying there was no point being in an alliance without an agreement on the premier candidate.
    Ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right Forza Italia (FI) had proposed putting off the decision to a vote of centre-right lawmakers after the election.
    "Let's win first and then see who lifts the cup," FI Coordinator Antonio Tajani had said.
    But Meloni's stance prevailed at Wednesday's meeting after League leader Matteo Salvini had also come out in favour of the principle that the party that gets most votes should also get the right to choose the premier nominee. (ANSA).