Giorgia Meloni, who with her post-fascist party Fratelli d’Italia won a historic victory in the legislative elections, should be officially called Friday as Prime Minister, becoming the first woman to hold this position in Italy.
This 45-year-old Roman, who managed to “de-demonize” her party to come to power exactly a century after Mussolini, must be received with her allies in the morning by the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella as part of the consultations preceding the appointment of a government.
“We are ready to give Italy a government”
These consultations, which began on Thursday and end at midday, should lead to the expected appointment of Giorgia Meloni, whose far-right-dominated coalition has an absolute majority in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. .
“We are ready to give Italy a government that faces the emergencies and challenges of our time with conscience and competence,” tweeted Giorgia Meloni on Thursday evening.
Salvini and Berlusconi, the two turbulent allies
At a time when the third largest economy in the euro zone, like its neighbors, is facing a difficult economic situation due to the energy crisis and inflation, its task promises to be difficult, especially since it will have to manage two turbulent allies: Matteo Salvini , the populist leader of the Anti-Migrant League, and Silvio Berlusconi, the declining leader of Forza Italia.
The two men are reluctant to accept the authority of Giorgia Meloni whose party won 26% of the vote in the elections of September 25, against only 8% for Forza Italia and 9% for the League. Even before Giorgia Meloni’s appointment, the peninsula’s media echoed the multiple battles between the three leaders over the distribution of positions in Parliament and within the future government.
Herself an Atlanticist and in favor of supporting Ukraine against Russia, she had to face this week the controversial remarks of Silvio Berlusconi, who claimed to have “reconnected” with Vladimir Putin and blamed kyiv for the responsibility for the war.
” Heads up “
Statements of the worst effect, while the coming to power of this predominantly Eurosceptic coalition is closely followed by the chancelleries. Giorgia Meloni felt compelled to correct the situation on Wednesday by saying that Italy is “fully part and with its head held high” of Europe and NATO.
The composition of his government should also reflect this desire to reassure Rome’s partners. Former President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani, a member of Forza Italia, is the favorite for Foreign Affairs, and Giancarlo Giorgetti, a representative of the moderate wing of the League already a minister in the outgoing government of Mario Draghi, holds the rope for the economy.
Talented speaker, Giorgia Meloni, a conservative Christian hostile to LGBT + rights with the motto “God, fatherland, family”, however promised not to touch the law authorizing abortion.
Recession risk
Giorgia Meloni and his ministers could be sworn in this weekend before the President of the Republic before tackling the many challenges that await them.
Inflation in the peninsula increased in September by 8.9% over one year and Italy risks entering a technical recession next year, alongside Germany. Room for maneuver is limited by a colossal debt representing 150% of gross domestic product (GDP), the highest ratio in the euro zone after Greece.
On the razor wire
Eurosceptic, Giorgia Meloni has given up campaigning for an exit from the euro, but she has promised to further defend her country’s interests in Brussels. And this while growth depends on nearly 200 billion euros in grants and loans from the European Union as part of its post-pandemic recovery fund.
Stuck between the hammer of her “allies” and the anvil of Brussels and the markets, Giorgia Meloni already seems on the razor’s edge even before taking office, almost a tradition in a country known for its chronic governmental instability.