Italy’s populists make France nemesis ahead of European elections

Bloomberg

Italy’s populists looking for an arch enemy to concentrate their nationalist rhetoric ahead of European Parliamentary elections have found one: France and its Europhile president Emmanuel Macron.
France has summoned the Italian ambassador over comments by Deputy Premier and Five Star Movement leader Luigi di Maio that France “never stopped colonising Africa” and is contributing
to the waves of migration towards Europe by holding back its former colonies economically.
In a battle that pits old guard defenders of European integration against populists trying to rebuild a Europe of nations, Macron is the perfect enemy.
League leader Matteo Salvini had the French ambassador summoned in June over accusations that French border guards were “dumping” migrants back into Italy.
Macron, who has spoken of “populist leprosy”in reference to the Italian government, has accused Salvini of insensitivity for shutting Italy’s ports to refugee boats.