Italy's main opposition party leader Elly Schlein voiced support for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday, condemning US President Donald Trump for criticizing the Italian leader over her remarks expressing solidarity with Pope Leo.
Addressing parliament, the secretary of the Democratic Party (PD) Schlein said the criticism from Trump warranted a strong and unified response across political lines.
"We express our strongest condemnation which I am certain will be unanimous in this chamber of President Donald Trump's attack on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni," she said, adding that the Italian premier had "rightly expressed solidarity with Pope Leo."
Schlein stressed that Italy is a "free and sovereign country," pointing to constitutional principles that reject war.
"No foreign head of state can allow themselves to attack, threaten, or show disrespect toward our country or our government," she said.
Despite political differences within parliament, Schlein said unity was essential when it comes to defending national institutions.
"We may be opponents in this chamber, but we are all Italian citizens and representatives of the Italian people, and we will not accept attacks or threats against our government and our country," she said, calling for a "truly unanimous condemnation."
On Tuesday, Trump said he was "shocked" that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni "doesn't want to help us in the war" against Iran.
His remarks to Corriere della Sera came after Meloni called Trump's fury over the pope's opposition to the war in Iran "unacceptable."
"She (Meloni) does not care if Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if she had the chance," Trump claimed.
The pope has repeatedly expressed solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, describing conditions there as "unacceptable" amid the ongoing Israeli genocide that began in October 2023, and has also spoken out against the US-Israeli war on Iran.
