Brussels – Rights, and above all the rule of law, particularly international law. The European Union should champion compliance with the rules and ensure that everyone, without exception, acts within the law. This is the conclusion of the Eurobarometer spring survey commissioned by the European Parliament and published today (1 July). “Should the European Union promote respect for international law by all countries?” 90 per cent of EU citizens surveyed answered ‘yes’ to this question, as did 92 per cent of the interviewed Italians.
The Meloni government thus receives a clear signal on how Italy should position itself internationally, especially in its dealings with the United States and Israel, both of which have repeatedly been accused of breaching international law. After taking (too) long, the EU eventually openly called out Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, while US President Donald Trump was deemed in violation of international law over his blitz against Venezuela’s now‑deposed leader, Nicolás Maduro.
For Italy’s centre-right government, the call for respect for international law also appears to be an appeal from the Italian people to the League and its leader, Matteo Salvini, to comply with the rules governing landings and reception. For Italy under a centre‑right government, the messages do not seem to end here, because Italians defend the European Union and urge the League and its leader, Matteo Salvini, to think twice before criticising it. “‘The European Union is a place of stability in a troubled world,’ say eight out of ten Italians surveyed (81 per cent), one of the highest approval ratings: compared with the survey published in November 2025, the proportion of Italians who, when asked the same question, say ‘yes’ to the EU’s role in personal and collective stability has risen by 11 per cent.
