WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden cited the far-right’s election success in Italy as evidence of what he said was a danger to democracy around the world, including in the United States.

“You just saw what’s happened in Italy in that election. You’re seeing what’s happening around the world,” Biden told Democratic party governors at a meeting late Wednesday, referring to the win by far-right leader Giorgia Meloni in Italy.

Macron says respects Italy vote, calls for cooperation

“We can’t be sanguine about what’s happening here either,” Biden said, referring to what he sees as anti-democratic forces led by former president Donald Trump in the run-up to November’s midterm elections to decide control of Congress.

Biden said that Chinese leader Xi Jinping had told him “straight up that democracies can’t be sustained in the 21st century. I don’t want to exaggerate it, but I don’t want to understate it. And it’s the reason why I’m so concerned.”

“Democracy is at stake,” Biden said.