A defiant stance. Former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, leader of the populist Five Star Movement (M5S), is positioning himself as Italy’s most vocal anti-Atlanticist, pro-China political figure—just as EU-China tensions escalate.
- In an interview with Avvenire, Conte condemned the EU’s €800 billion defence spending plan as a “senseless arms race.”
- He defended Italy’s former participation in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which the Meloni government decided not to renew last year.
- He accused Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of isolating Italy and reducing its geopolitical relevance.
Why it matters. Conte’s remarks come at a time when China’s influence in Europe is under growing scrutiny. His comments also coincided with:
- Chinese Ambassador Jia Guide using Italian media to position China as a superior partner to the US;
- Belgian authorities raiding Huawei’s Brussels offices in a major EU lobbying scandal.
Aligning with Beijing’s playbook. Conte’s rhetoric increasingly mirrors narratives promoted by China—and, at times, Russia.
- In Strasbourg, M5S MEPs joined protests against EU military spending, earning praise from fringe pacifist groups and criticism from mainstream parties.
- His stance aligns with what analyst Velina Tchakarova describes as the DragonBear axis—a deepening China-Russia partnership challenging the West.
What he’s saying. “We were right on China. Meloni turned her back on strategic balance,” Conte claimed.
- “The BRI was an opportunity—walking away from it was a mistake driven by ideology.”
Reality check. Meloni’s government quietly ended Italy’s participation in the BRI by not renewing the 2019 MoU, signalling a return to a more traditional Atlanticist approach.
- Since joining the BRI, Italy’s trade deficit with China ballooned to $47 billion by 2022, with minimal benefits for Italian exports.
- France, which had never joined the BRI, secured far more lucrative deals with China, such as a €30 billion Airbus agreement signed just days after Italy’s MoU.
Between Rome, Brussels, and Beijing. Conte’s positioning highlights a broader European challenge: balancing strategic autonomy while resisting external influence—particularly from China and Russia.
- As the EU reassesses its security and trade priorities, Conte emerges as an internal advocate for external powers, injecting volatility into Italy’s already polarised foreign policy landscape.
