Italy risks 'ethnic replacement' due to low birth rate and high immigration, minister says

Francesco Lollobrigida, Minister of Agriculture for the far-right government led by Prime Minister Georgia Meloni Photo: FABIO FRUSTACI/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock < p>On Tuesday, an Italian minister said the country could face «ethnic replacement» due to low birth rates and the arrival of thousands of migrants, sparking a bitter immigration dispute.

“We cannot succumb to the idea of ​​ethnic replacement – ​​‘Italians have fewer children, so we will replace them with someone else. This is not the way,” said Francesco Lollobrigida. , Minister of Agriculture in the far-right government led by Prime Minister Georgia Meloni.

He said he was open to legal immigration channels, especially if there weren't enough Italians to do certain jobs, and that immigration could offer «opportunities growth for the country.”

But Mr. Lollobrigida, a senior member of Italy's far-right brothers, said the way to increase Italy's population is not to take in more immigrants, but to encourage Italians to have more children through better childcare and job opportunities for women. /p>

His warnings about «ethnic replacement» echo some of the «Great Displacement» conspiracy theories, in which white Europeans are being deliberately «replaced» by non-white immigrants.

Ellie Schlein, leader of the center-left Democratic Party, said the minister's remarks smacked of «white supremacy» and were reminiscent of Benito Mussolini's fascist regime.

“The minister's words are disgusting and unacceptable. from someone in his position,” said Ms. Schlein.

“They take us back to the 1930s, the words smack of white supremacy.”

Filippo Sensi, a Democratic senator, accused Mr. Lollobrigida of «promoting a pseudo-doctrine of ethnic replacement» and said he was «not fit for the position.»

Carlo Calenda, head of a small center party, said the minister's reference to ethnic displacement was dangerous rhetoric that would undermine Italy's «respected position in Europe.» so low that the population is expected to decline by almost nine million by 2100.

According to the statistical agency Eurostat, the projected population decline is the largest among the 27 EU countries.

There is also acute concern over the large number of migrants and refugees arriving from Libya and Tunisia.

34,000 landed in Italy this year, compared to 8,600 the same year. period last year.

The largest number of arriving nationalities are people from Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea, followed by Pakistan, Tunisia, Egypt and Bangladesh.

Comments r -Lollobrigida also came in response to economists' warnings that Italy would not be able to afford benefits and pensions unless it replenished its population with immigrants.