The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, drew heavy criticism for her comments on the parliamentary elections in Italy on September 25.

In Italy, right-wing parties in particular, but also forces in the political center, rejected statements by the Commission President, which they perceived as interference in the elections.

Matthias Rub

Political correspondent for Italy, the Vatican, Albania and Malta based in Rome.

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On Friday at an event at the private university in Princeton in the American state of New Jersey, von der Leyen answered the question from students whether they were worried about a possible election victory for the legal alliance in Italy: "If things develop in a difficult direction - I was talking about Hungary and Poland – then we have the instruments.”

Brussels has been arguing with the two EU member states over violations of the rule of law for years.

Most recently, the Commission proposed cutting 7.5 billion euros in EU funding for Hungary because of the lack of progress in the fight against corruption.

Commission spokesman Eric Mamer tried to smooth things over on Friday evening and rejected the allegation of interference.

"It is absolutely clear that the President did not interfere in the Italian elections," Mamer told journalists in Brussels.

Von der Leyen merely referred to the Commission's role as guardian of the treaties, particularly with regard to the rule of law.

The President of the Commission has also expressly made it clear that the EU Commission "will work with every government that emerges from the elections and which in turn wants to work with the EU Commission".

Salvini: "Shameful arrogance"

At that time, the Italian media was already talking about a "political earthquake" caused by von der Leyen on the eve of the elections.

In a conversation with the daily Corriere della Sera on Saturday, the former interior minister and head of the right-wing populist Lega party, Matteo Salvini, called for an “apology or resignation” from the Commission President.

Salvini had previously written on Twitter: "What's that supposed to be, a threat?" He accused von der Leyen of "shameful arrogance" and asked her to respect the "free and democratic choice of the Italian people".

Former EU Commissioner and deputy leader of the Christian Democratic party Forza Italia, Antonio Tajani, also denounced von der Leyen's "meddling".

"It is the task of the Commission to ensure compliance with the EU treaties, but not over elections in democratic EU countries," Tajani told broadcaster Rai.

Tajani welcomed the clarification by Commission spokesman Mamer on the matter.

Like the CDU, Forza Italia belongs to the Christian Democratic party family of the European People's Party.

Former Prime Minister and co-founder of the liberal party alliance Azione, Matteo Renzi, warned von der Leyen "not to interfere in any way in Italy's affairs" and continued: "Even if the right wins, Europe must respect the election outcome."

Letta is reluctant to comment on von der Leyen's statements

Giorgia Meloni, head of the post-fascist Italian Brothers party and favorite to succeed Mario Draghi as prime minister, called on von der Leyen to exercise restraint in moderate words: “One thing is the political parties, parliament, the role as party politician, another The matter is the commissioners, who are something like the ministers of the entire EU Commission.

So I would advise them to exercise caution in terms of credibility as Commissioners and as the European Commission as a whole.”

Social Democratic party leader Enrico Letta was even more reluctant to comment on von der Leyen's statements.

Letta expressed confidence that the head of the EU Commission would "certainly clarify the statements that gave rise to misunderstandings".

Italian media commented that von der Leyen confirmed the narrative of Italy's right-wing parties, according to which the EU Commission is not taking action against countries like Hungary and Poland for violations of the rule of law, but rather because of the political orientation of the governments in Budapest and Warsaw and may soon displease Rome.