Something else is happening.
Giorgia Meloni and Mette Frederiksen have been working together for some time.
That might seem an odd pairing.
Frederiksen is Denmark’s Social Democratic prime minister. Meloni came to power from the Italian right. They do not belong to the same European political family, and they do not pretend that they agree on everything.
They have nevertheless found substantial common ground on migration.
In December 2024, they were among the leaders of an informal meeting of European governments looking for new ways to control irregular migration.
On May 22, 2025, Frederiksen met Meloni at Palazzo Chigi. At the end of the bilateral, Denmark and Italy launched an open letter, signed by nine European leaders, calling for a reconsideration of how the European Convention on Human Rights was being interpreted, particularly where the expulsion of foreign nationals convicted of crimes was concerned.
The cooperation continued.
So the photograph posted today is not evidence that two politicians from different traditions have suddenly discovered one another.
That happened before.
Something smaller changed.
The cooperation acquired a first person plural.
The photograph leads a shared post from the two prime ministers. Instead of allowing the political difference between them to sit awkwardly in the background, their statement brings it forward.
They know, they say, that people may wonder about their collaboration.
They come from very different political positions.
They do not agree on everything.
Then:
we.
They are united, they say, by a desire to defend Europe.
The statement goes on to migration, borders, return centers in third countries and other arrangements outside Europe. It arrives during a particularly noisy European argument over migration and Schengen.
Those are the policies.
Something else has happened in the way the cooperation is being presented.
The governments had already been working together.
Their leaders had already met.
Appeals had been issued. Letters had been signed. Proposals had been developed.
Today the collaboration arrives differently.
A photograph comes first.
The argument follows.
And underneath, on Frederiksen’s account, there is an invitation:
“Hope you’ll read about our path to protect our countries and Europe.”
They still come from different political families.
They still say they disagree.
Then the sign-off:
“Best Giorgia and Mette.” 🇮🇹 🇩🇰
WE&P by: EZorrillaMc&Co.
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