Luxembourgish Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn drew the ire of Italy's Matteo Salvini Sunday after accusing the far-right interior minister of using "fascist" methods, in a worsening spat over immigration between the two men. The pair first clashed Friday at an EU meeting in Vienna when Salvini referred to African migrants as "slaves". His remarks prompted an angry outburst from Asselborn who has defended immigration as necessary to counter Europe's ageing population.
Salvini later shared a video of the row on his Facebook page along with comments aimed at further taunting the Luxembourgish minister.
In an interview with German media, Asselborn denounced Salvini for using "the methods and tone of the fascists from the 30s". "I stand by what I said," he told Spiegel Online this weekend, adding: "It was a calculated provocation."
Salvini, whose anti-immigration League party is part of Italy's ruling coalition, hit back Sunday.
"The Socialist minister of the fiscal paradise of Luxembourg calls me a 'fascist' today after comparing our Italian emigrant grandparents to today's illegal migrants and after interrupting my speech," the 32-year-old tweeted Sunday.