Ms. Meloni accompanied Ginevra to the meeting in Indonesia, where she met Presidents Joe Biden of the United States and Xi Jinping of China.
The prime minister of Italy has responded to the criticism she received for bringing her six-year-old daughter to the G20 conference in Indonesia.
Giorgia Meloni accompanied Ginevra to the summit, where she met the presidents of the United States and China.
Ms. Meloni was afterward criticized in an article published by the Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica, which read: “Why, throughout these four days, did Giorgia Meloni chose to carry the burden… of a daughter in tow?
A columnist from La Stampa, an additional Italian daily, questioned why the far-right politician took her daughter to Bali and suggested that she should have told her, “I’m sorry, daughter, but your mother is saving Italy.”
Ms. Meloni criticized “great debate” on Facebook, adding, “The question I must ask the leaders of this impassioned argument is: do you believe it is your concern how my daughter grows up?
“Because the bad news is that it is not. I have the right to mother as I see fit, as well as the right to do everything I can for my country without depriving Ginevra of a mother.
“I hope my response is sufficient to convince you to address more pertinent and ambiguous problems within your area of expertise.”
Ms. Meloni, the first female prime minister of Italy, views herself as a supporter of the “traditional family.”
During her campaign, she uttered her now-iconic catchphrase: “I am Giorgia and I am a woman, a mother, an Italian, and a Christian. That will not be taken from me!”
Confrontations with Biden and Xi
Ms. Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, which has neo-fascist roots, received the most votes in Italy’s national election in September, but not enough to govern alone, so she had to resort to her right-wing allies Matteo Salvini and former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi for support.
During the G20 summit, Chinese President Xi expressed his hope that Italy will assist the European Union in maintaining a “constructive” and “independent” stance towards Beijing.
During their meeting, she and Vice President Biden discussed the continuation of support for Ukraine, stability in the Mediterranean, and their relations with China.
