ATHENS

Italy’s deputy prime minister doubled down on his criticism of French President Emmanuel Macon, as reported by local media on Wednesday.

Speaking to journalists in the southern city of Basilicata, Matteo Salvini, who is also leader of the right-wing League party, said: “Of course, the League party has a very clear, coherent idea of ​​Europe. We are not willing to govern with the socialists, with Macron, with the lords of synthetic steaks, of endless landings, of the lack of control over Islamic fanaticism, of Chinese electric cars at all costs.”

Italy and Europe should be ruled by center-right parties, not by Macron, he added.

Salvini also criticized the French president’s recently tougher rhetoric on Russia.

“I don't want a Europe that talks about war, that fuels and threatens war: Europe was born to defend peace. So where there is Macron and there are warmongers, there is no League, there is no me," he said.

On Saturday, in a gathering of the right-wing European parties in Rome, Salvini accused Macron of risking Europe by saying sending Western ground troops to Ukraine should not be ruled out.​​​​​​​