[SLIDESHOW] Italian papers go ballistic after Macron takes Aquarius heat off Malta

Here's how the Italian press on Wednesday morning reacted to news that France was taking aim at incoming home affairs minister Matteo Salvini's decision to block port entry to the Aquarius. Italy's new premier Giuseppe Conte has accused Emanuel Macro of being a hypocrite, and said he might not attend a bilateral summit in Paris on Friday.

La Repubblica, Corriere della Sera, La Stampa

(C) La Repubblica

(C) Corriere della Sera

(C) La Stampa

La Repubblica: ‘France on the attack against Salvini’, Macron: Italy is cynical on migration. Criticism from Germany and Spain. Conte: Elysée summit at risk... protests in Movimento Cinque Stelle...

Corriere della Sera: ‘High tension between Italy and France’, Criticism even from Madrid, euologies from Orban. Italian navy will take 500 of the 629 on the Aquarius to Valencia. Accusations of ‘cynicism’ from Macron. Conte: Hypocrisy: The summit is at risk.

La Stampa: ‘Aquarius, the crisis dividing Europe. Italy-France spat, summit at risk’. Macron’s missive: Cynical and irresponsible behaviour. Conte’s reply: Hypocrite. Salvini: let’s discuss with Berlin how to protect our borders. North African camps mooted.

Il Giornale, Il Messagero

(C) Il Giornale

(C) Il Messagero

Il Giornale: ‘Vomitable, cynical, and poor of mind – Half Europe declares war on us’. France and Spain insult Italy. Conte: No to hypocritical insults. Salvini keeps strong and the left takes him to court.

Il Messagero: ‘Migrants, France’s insult’. Macron: Italy cynical and vomitable. Conte’s ire: We don’t accept lessons in hypocrisy. Friday’s summit at risk. German minister is with Rome. Right and rights: The lesson that nobody can teach our country.

La Verità, Libero

(C) La Verità

(C) Libero

La Verità: ‘Look who’s talking. Macron leads Europe’s jackals’. France says Italy’s actions on Aquarius is vomitable. Spain threatens sanctions. These are the countries that leave pregnant women dying and shoot at migrants. But the PD [Democratic Party] is with them.

Libero: ‘Flare-up on Salvini’s strategy. Naval war’. In the meantime, almost 1,000 refugees arrives in Catania and we are obliged to keep ports open. Who authorises the navy to pick up the castaways? It is a knot that must be undone. War of words between France and Italy. Macron: cynical and vomitable government. Us: You are hypocrites.

Il Manifesto, Il Fatto Quotidiano, Avvenire

(C) Il Manifesto

(C) Il Fatto Quotidiano

(C) L'Avvenire

Il Manifesto: ‘Cynical and cheater’. The closure of the Italian ports to the Aquarius flares up the conflict on migrant lives. Macron forgets his hard line and attacks Salvini’s cynicism. Chigi Palace threatens to stop the Paris summit. The ship departs for Spain. Shipwreck off Libya: 12 dead

Il Fatto Quotidiano: ‘Aquarius: France and Spain against Italy, look who’s talking’. ‘En Marche’’s spokesperson: Vomitable. The Elysée doubles down: Cynics. Sanchez’s minister: Penalties possible, human rights treaties have been violated’.

Avvenire: ‘Migrants, it’s a spat between Italy and France’. Paris: Aquarius blockade is cynical. Conte’s reply is stark, bilateral meeting at risk. Criticism from Madrid. Merkel: let’s stay united or the EU loses its balance.