Salvini ignores the ambassador's warning and retaliates: a new affront to Macron.

The diplomatic spat between Italy and France shows no signs of abating. Matteo Salvini reiterates his criticism of Emmanuel Macron , calling him "touchy," despite the official recall of the Italian ambassador to Paris. Silence from Palazzo Chigi: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has so far failed to comment on the minister's remarks, fueling tensions and controversy internationally.

Salvini and Macron: government silence and opposition reactions

The League leader 's behavior has put the government in difficulty, as it has maintained a conciliatory tone in its contacts with Paris. Senator Massimiliano Romeo and the group leader in the Chamber of Deputies, Riccardo Molinari, have reaffirmed the party's stance of "no to any escalation," while some center-right figures, such as Maurizio Lupi, have criticized Salvini's tone while emphasizing the government's official position.

Minister Matteo Piantedosi attempted to defuse the controversy, noting that Salvini's statements, while forceful, were part of normal political discourse. The opposition, however, denounced the international embarrassment his remarks had created, with Democratic Party Secretary Elly Schlein urging the Deputy Prime Minister to focus on concrete issues such as transportation delays .

After a diplomatic incident with French President Emmanuel Macron, which led to the summons of the Italian ambassador to Paris, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini continued to stir up public controversy. From the stage of a League conference in Pinzolo , Trentino, Salvini called Macron " touchy " and joked about the Open Arms trial, mocking the possibility of seeking political asylum in France.

His statements showed no sign of retraction, and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni did not take a position, while the opposition demanded clarification but received no response. French diplomatic sources deemed the statements unacceptable , but Salvini called Paris's reaction disproportionate, reiterating Italy's refusal to send European troops to Ukraine.

“ I don't think there was any insult . When one of your journalists asked me to comment on Macron's request to send European soldiers, I simply said no, never, which has always been the Italian government's position. Macron has been talking about a European army for months and has said we're ready to fight. No, he's speaking on your behalf. ' Accati al tram' is a nice Milanese saying to mean 'I'm not even thinking about it.' I have no intention of arguing with Macron again, but if he asked me, I'd still say no, no, and no. Maybe they translated it badly.”