‘007’ Cable on Russian Funding of Foreign Political Parties Roils Rome
With Italy set to go to the polls in 10 days, the timing of the cable could not be worse for the frontrunner, Giorgia Meloni.
A State Department cable confirming that Russia has covertly spent more than $300 million on attempting to influence foreign political parties since 2014 has touched off a multifront firestorm in Italy less than two weeks before voters there go to the polls.
Matteo Salvini’s populist Northern League party is already in the hot seat for alleged ties to Moscow that may have had a role in bringing down the government of Prime Minister Draghi, the crisis that precipitated a snap election now set for September 25. The present scandal also touches the Brothers of Italy party, led by frontrunner Giorgia Meloni, which is in a coalition with the League.
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