Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has voiced hope that the French people will not choose the party led by French President Emmanuel Macron in the EU elections.
"We are Europeans, and we will remain Europeans, but we are not morons. We don't drop anyone since France and Germany will remain our historic partners, but perhaps this is not Macron who will be our interlocutor as his approval rating is less than 20 percent. I hope that the French people will make another choice in the near future and thus change the balance in Europe, the European Parliament, and the European Commission", Salvini told the Rai Radio 1 station.
He added that Macron had "problems with millions of French people," since the French president had given them many promises that he failed to fulfil.
Salvini also reiterated that Italy was going to request France extradite Italian fugitives charged with extremism-related activities fleeing prosecution in France.
Salvini further stated that he hoped French voters would send Macron a message during the European elections in late May by showing their support for Marine Le Pen, with whom Salvini is allied in European politics.
READ MORE: Salvini to Macron: 'Stop Letting Terrorists Freely Drink Champagne in France'
Since the right-wing League and 5-Star Movement parties formed a coalition in Italy, they have taken aim at Macron’s pro-EU party En Marche (On the Move), according to Reuters. Salvini, as well as his partner from the ruling coalition, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio, has long been critical of Macron, known for his pro-EU policies.
Relations between the two countries grew tense over the migrant issue in June when France criticized Italy for not accepting the Aquarius rescue vessel carrying over 600 migrants. Rome, in turn, blamed Paris for forcing migrants who had come to France to return to Italy, a country that has become the first landing point for many migrants arriving from North Africa by sea.
