The French government sought to play down a fresh row with Italy over migration on Friday, saying Rome was an "essential partner" after a spat with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Italy's foreign minister cancelled a trip to Paris on Thursday over what he termed "unacceptable" comments from French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who said Meloni was "incapable" of tackling her country's migration crisis. As the French government tries to play down the Italy migration row, FRANCE 24 is joined by Leila Simona Talani, Professor of the International Political Economy and Director of the Centre for Italian Politics at King’s College London. She asserts that for Italy it is "clearly one of those fights that the right-wing government has to maintain their position vis-a-vis migration."
