PARIS – The Council of the European Union appointed former Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio as its special representative (EUSR) for the Gulf region Monday. The new position was created in late 2022 to further a strategic partnership between the EU and Gulf countries.
Discussions on Di Maio's nomination began last November. His candidacy for this new post was sponsored by Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, under whom Di Maio served as foreign minister.
The nomination process (from November 2022 until May 2023) was apparently prolonged due to objections by several Italian politicians and other politicians in France.
Early rise in anti-establishment movement
