Italian Deputy Foreign Minister's remarks on Vannacci spark party backlash

Deputy Foreign Minister Edmondo Cirielli has ignited a political stir within Italy's ruling Fratelli d'Italia party with his public statements regarding General Roberto Vannacci. Cirielli indicated that he would personally approach Vannacci to discuss his potential ministerial ambitions and the specific issues he aims to address.

"I would call Vannacci and ask him what problems he wants to solve, if he wants to be a minister, what responsibilities he intends to assume, and what solutions he proposes," Cirielli was quoted as saying. These remarks, made on the sidelines of a political event in Ischia, quickly became a point of contention, drawing attention not only from opposition parties but, more significantly, from within his own party leadership.

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I would call Vannacci and ask him what problems he wants to solve, if he wants to be a minister, what responsibilities he intends to assume, and what solutions he proposes.

However, Cirielli's overtures have been swiftly repudiated by his party colleagues. Minister Francesco Lollobrigida clarified to Corriere della Sera that Cirielli's statements do not represent the official stance of Fratelli d'Italia. "I exclude that this is the line of Fratelli d'Italia. Perhaps it is a poorly interpreted statement, nothing more," Lollobrigida stated, suggesting the remarks might have been misunderstood.

Within the party's inner circles, Cirielli's comments were reportedly met with a mix of disbelief and annoyance, with some quipping that his political career might be "zeroed out" by party leader Giorgia Meloni. Cirielli's openness to Vannacci, a figure not favored by Meloni as a potential ally, contrasts with the party's strategy to avoid compromising electoral results. Cirielli, however, had previously expressed a desire to govern alongside Vannacci, believing he could provide a significant boost to the party's focus on security matters.

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I exclude that this is the line of Fratelli d'Italia. Perhaps it is a poorly interpreted statement, nothing more.