'Friends with many, but don't take orders from anyone': Italian PM Giorgia Meloni defends friendship with Elon Musk
Rome: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has defended her friendship with billionaire Elon Musk during a parliamentary address ahead of the upcoming European Union summit in Brussels.
She emphasised her independence, asserting that Musk’s vast economic interests do not influence her decisions.
"I can be a friend of Elon Musk and at the same time the head of the first Italian government that made a new law to regulate private activity in space," Meloni stated.
She added that while she maintains "good relationships with many people," she does not "take orders from anyone."
"I can be friends with Elon Musk and at the same time be the president of the first government in Italy that made a law to regulate private activity in space. Italy was the first nation in Europe to do it."
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) December 18, 2024
一 Giorgia Meloni pic.twitter.com/HEhaB0Rygt
Since taking office in 2022, Meloni's far-right coalition has sought to attract foreign investment, including from Musk, to boost Italy's economy.
Earlier this year, the Italian government approved a framework enabling foreign space companies, such as SpaceX, to operate in Italy, potentially drawing $7.3 billion in investments by 2026.
Meloni criticised past prime ministers for aligning too closely with foreign leaders, arguing that such relationships often led to subservience.
Her friendship with Musk has sparked public curiosity, particularly after a photo of them at an event in September went viral, with some speculating about a romantic connection.
At the event, Musk praised Meloni, describing her as "authentic, honest, and truthful."
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