France Calls Back Its Ambassador from Rome Due to 'Unprecedented' Actions by Italian Officials

On Thursday, the French Foreign Ministry announced in a statement that it has recalled its ambassador from Rome for consultations following a series of 'provocative' actions by the populist Italian government. The statement mentions that 'for several months, France has been the target of repeated accusations, baseless criticisms, and bizarre claims. These actions are unprecedented since the end of World War II.' According to AFP, tensions between Paris and Rome have escalated since last summer when a coalition government composed of the far-right party known as the League and the 'Five Star Movement' came to power in Italy. Senior officials of this coalition government have repeatedly attacked French President Emmanuel Macron and his policies in public comments, openly stating that one of their main goals is to counter populist movements in European countries. The latest incident that has heightened tensions between the two countries was the recent meeting of Luigi Di Maio, the leader of the Five Star Movement and Italy's Deputy Prime Minister, with several leaders of the French protest movement known as the 'Yellow Vests' in the suburbs of Paris. Mr. Di Maio stated that the goal of this meeting was to form a united front for the European parliamentary elections in May, and he also tweeted: 'The breeze of change has crossed the Alps.' The French Foreign Ministry added in another part of its statement: 'This recent interference is yet another provocative and unacceptable act. These actions violate respect for the democratic decisions of a friendly and allied nation.' The statement continued: 'Disagreement is one thing, and exploiting relations for electoral purposes is another.' AFP reminds that the 'Yellow Vests' movement began in November in response to rising fuel taxes in some rural areas and small towns in France, but gradually turned into a widespread rebellion against the policies and methods of Emmanuel Macron's government. Luigi Di Maio has previously criticized the French government for supporting elites and privileged classes, stating that 'a new Europe is being born with direct democracy movements like the Yellow Vests.' Matteo Salvini, the leader of the League and another Deputy Prime Minister of Italy, has also directly attacked Emmanuel Macron. Last month, in a video posted on Facebook, he said: 'I hope the French can free themselves from a very bad president.' He added: 'This opportunity will come in the European parliamentary elections (May 26), a time when the French people will finally be able to regain their destiny, future, and pride, which a character like Macron represents very poorly.'