Rome, 13 November 2024 – “Italy is a great democratic country and I must reiterate, with the words used on another occasion, on 7 October 2022, that ‘She can take care of herself in compliance with its Constitution’. This was stated by the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella after the words of Elon Musk on judges, repeating a phrase already pronounced two years ago after the declaration of the French Minister for European Affairs Laurence Boone, who, a few days after the birth of the Meloni government, had announced “vigilance” on the moves of the unborn Italian executive on civil rights.
“Anyone, particularly if, as announced, about to assume an important government role in a friendly and allied country, must respect its sovereignty and he cannot take on the task of giving her prescriptions”, added the Head of State. Just today Musk is an unelected autocracy making the decisions?”.
Sergio Mattarella, Elon Musl and the text of the President of the Republic
Musk insiste
But Musk insists and returns to talking about Italy and the decision of the immigration section of the Rome court to cancel the detention of migrants transferred to Albania. “The Italian people live in a democracy or an autocracy not elected to make decisions?”, wrote Musk on his social network.
Musk shared a post from a user who said that due to the judges’ decision, ‘Giorgia Meloni’s government in Italy will not be allowed to expel illegal immigrants’ and ‘Italy’s borders will remain open and new Europeans will be allowed to invade forever both Italy and Europe.” “This is unacceptable – writes Musk, whom Donald Trump nominated head of the Department for Government Efficiency in his next administration – do the Italian people live in democracy or does an unelected autocracy make decisions?”.
It’s not enough. The owner of Tesla and X decides to retweet a comment on the words of the President of the Republic of a right-wing Dutch commentator, Eva Vlaardingerbroek. The latter, publishing the Quirinale post, wrote in Italian: “No. Elon Musk and Giorgia Meloni are right. The fact that the judges of the Rome court believe they are above the government and the democratic process is madness. They are not a constitutional court, so they are exceeding their jurisdiction in violation of the separation of powers.”
Musk turns to Mattarella
Finally comes the direct response to Mattarella: “Entrepreneur Elon Musk expresses his opinion respect for the President of the Republic Mattarella and the Italian Constitution. As reiterated in a friendly conversation with President Meloni. However, he emphasizes that the freedom of expression it is therefore protected by the First Amendment and by the Italian Constitution itself as a citizen will continue to express his opinions freely”: the statement released by his contact in Italy. Who adds: “Musk hopes that United States-Italy relations will be increasingly stronger and hopes to meet soon President Mattarella”.
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Palazzo Chigi: Meloni always listens to Mattarella
The prime minister, as reported by Palazzo Chigi sources, breaks the silence with a lapidary: “We always listen with great respect the words of the President of the Republic”. A concept also reiterated by Giovanni Donzelliwhich states: “If I agree with Mattarella? Even the commas and pauses.” “I don’t know whether Musk will have a role in the Trump government or not, we certainly never liked it when ministers from other nations attacked the government and with the same principle we believe that abroad they can comment on Italian politics but then we have our independence and autonomy”. The Fdi exponent adds: “It won’t be a person on the other side of the world who decides on the careers of judges in Italy. Having said this, the Democratic Party” on this matter “has carried out an over the top, exaggerated campaign”.
Elon Musk’s words about Italian judges? “It would be a political case if Musk had already become a political subject”, mutes the Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti. And to those who point out that just today the US tycoon was called to be part of the President-elect Donald Trump’s team, he replies: “I wasn’t updated, I was dealing with something else”.
Salvini: “Italy doesn’t take lessons”
“When it comes to defend national sovereigntyI’m in the front row. Great respect for the words of the President of the Republic. Musk has the right to express his opinion on Italy or China. AND free to say what he thinks“, the words of the deputy prime minister and leader of the League Matteo Salvini on ‘Otto e mezzo’ on La7. “Italy doesn’t take lessons – he explains –. I shared some of Musk’s passages on some judgments on the judiciary.”
The opposition thunders. Schlein: “Self-styled sovereignists”
“Embarrassing that i self-styled sovereignists of our house let the line be dictated by an American billionaire like Musk. His repeated outbursts against the Italian judiciary are an unacceptable attack on a constitutional body. What is Meloni waiting for to defend national sovereignty?”, thunders the secretary of the Democratic Party Elly Schlein on Instagram.
The former PD secretary is on the same line Bersani. “With a sovereignist government shamefully prone and silent, it is up to the President to respond to unprecedented interference. He does so with words that deserve applause”.
“The President of the Republic said wise things, in line with the democratic logic and sovereignty of each individual country”, said the leader of the Fi group in the Chamber, Paolo Barelli.
“Would we be in an autocracy because Mattarella was elected by Parliament where the representatives legitimately elected by the people sit? Elon Musk doesn’t even know the ABCs of democratic parliamentary systems.” is the attack of president of the 5 Star Movement, Giuseppe Conte. “Here we are faced with a gentleman who has excessive economic and financial power, who even has a prominent position at a global level in the automotive, communications, satellite fields and now we will find him in an important position in the United States administration I am very worried about our democracy. And the United States should ask itself a conflict of interest problem like we, the 5 Star Movement, are asking ourselves in Italy. Musk should worry about business where he has proven capable, no one is discussing it. But that he wants to exercise this excessive economic power in politics and go and give licenses of democracy to others is dangerous”, concluded Conte.
