“On behalf of the whole Italian Republic, I would like to express my warmest congratulations on your election as President of the United States of America,” Matarella said in a message to president-elect Biden released by the Quirinale.
“As a result of a remarkable participation rate, the American people have entrusted you with the term in office to lead the United States throughout a dramatically complex moment for the entire world.
“The international community needs the support of the United States, which has long played a leading role in building the rules of multilateralism, to deal with an unprecedented crisis that is endangering the health, life and future of millions of people.
“I am sure that under your presidency, the United States and Italy – and the entire European Union – will be able to further strengthen the bonds of deep-rooted friendship, in the name of the common values of freedom, justice and democracy.”
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also sent his “congratulations to the American people” and said that Italy is ready to work with their new leader “to make the transatlantic relationship stronger”.
“The US can count on Italy as a solid ally and a strategic partner,” Conte wrote on Twitter.
Congratulations to the American people and institutions for an outstanding turnout of democratic vitality. We are ready to work with the President-elect @JoeBiden to make the transatlantic relationship stronger. The US can count on Italy as a solid Ally and a strategic partner
— Giuseppe Conte (@GiuseppeConteIT) November 7, 2020
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio also took to social media to congratulate Biden.
“The friendship between Italy and the United States has deep and historical roots,” Di Maio tweeted.
“Ready to keep on working to make our relations ever stronger in defense of peace and freedom.”
Congratulations to President-elect @JoeBiden. The friendship between Italy and the United States has deep and historical roots. Ready to keep on working to make our relations ever stronger in defense of peace and freedom. 🇮🇹🇺🇸
— Luigi Di Maio (@luigidimaio) November 7, 2020
Nicola Zingaretti, the leader of Italy’s centre-left Democratic Party (PD), said that, as the 46th president of the United States, Biden “opens a new season of hope and dialogue not only for America, but for the whole world”.
“A great joy for us Democrats, a message of unity for all progressives,” he added.
Con @JoeBiden 46esimo Presidente degli Stati Uniti si apre una nuova stagione di speranza e dialogo non solo per l’America, ma per tutto il mondo. Una grande gioia per noi Democratici, un messaggio di unità per tutti i progressisti #Biden #bidenharis2020 pic.twitter.com/ejFkW3R6vL
— Nicola Zingaretti (@nzingaretti) November 7, 2020
However, Biden’s victory wasn’t welcomed by all sides of Italian politics.
Giorgia Meloni, the leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy (FdI), had backed incumbent president, Donald Trump, for re-election.
Meloni told Italian news agency Adnkronos that Biden had “COVID-19 to thank” for his win, saying that if the election had been in February, “Trump would have won without any problems”.
Matteo Salvini, the leader of the far-right League party, had also actively backed Trump, posting pictures of himself wearing a Trump 2020 election face mask and a “Make America Great Again” hat.
Salvini has so far stayed quiet about Biden’s victory, however, the League’s deputy secretary, Giancarlo Giorgetti, told SkyTG24: “We were and will remain friends of the United States, also with Biden”, while acknowledging that the party “certainly had a greater affinity with Trump”.
