Italy and SpaceX: A Political Minefield for Meloni

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is facing a political storm as her government negotiates with Elon Musk's SpaceX to provide secure communication services. These talks coincide with Europe's launch of its own satellite project, which further complicates the situation. Elon Musk recently announced that SpaceX is ready to offer Italy the "most secure and advanced connectivity." This announcement on the social media platform X followed the Italian government's confirmation that discussions are currently underway regarding the use of Starlink services for encrypted data communication. The potential contract, reportedly worth up to $1.5 billion, is causing discontent among Italian opposition politicians. Carlo Calenda, a prominent centrist politician and former industry minister, warned that contracting Musk for such sensitive services is not an option, given his support for the European right and the spread of misinformation. Elly Schlein, the leader of the Democratic Party, demanded clarity from Meloni about the talks and threatened a political outcry if an agreement is reached. Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi also expressed criticism and demanded explanations from Meloni regarding the benefits of Musk's potential involvement. Despite the heated debates, there are also supporters. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini sees Musk as a global innovator and emphasizes the opportunities such an agreement could bring. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto pointed out that an alternative European solution would take years to be operational. Nevertheless, the question remains whether Italy might upset its European partners with this move. Beniamino Irdi, an expert at the Atlantic Council, warned that cooperation with Starlink could be interpreted as a political signal to the EU, especially in regard to the ongoing Iris² project, which aims to strengthen Europe's strategic autonomy.