Giorgia Melonis Government for Italy – Politics

If one understands her press department correctly, Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s first female prime minister in history, does not want to be called “la Presidente” as would be appropriate. Or “Presidentessa”. But “il Presidente del Consiglio”, the President of the Council of Ministers. That’s what it says in the first communiqué. Meloni had hardly introduced her cabinet when it was a corrigendum to an embarrassing mix-up on the list of ministers. The article can still change, but the post-fascist is not a feminist.

This Saturday morning, Meloni and her 24-strong government will be sworn in at Rome’s Quirinal Palace. There are a bunch of half-old and very old men and only six women besides Meloni. Fratelli d’Italia, who won the recent parliamentary elections with 26 percent of the vote, takes nine posts. The two partner parties Lega and Forza Italia each receive five ministries. And five portfolios go to non-party technocrats, none of whom have particularly prominent names. Meloni had promised a top-class cabinet, but the result was a mediocre one, full of old acquaintances from Silvio Berlusconi’s previous governments.

Meloni had some ministries renamed ambiguously. The Ministry of Family is now also the Ministry of “Natality”: Italy has had declining demographics for many years. The Ministry of Economic Development is now called “Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy”. The Ministry of Agriculture now also carries “food sovereignty” in its name so that local products are promoted. While the team doesn’t fly very high, key personal details pretty much reflect Meloni’s intentions.

Antonio Tajani, the fire extinguisher

Antonio Tajani, 69, Roman, is Italy’s new foreign minister and deputy prime minister. At a young age, Tajani was a monarchist. But he found his true king in Berlusconi. When the media tycoon went into politics, Tajani was his spokesman, the wiper and exeget when the boss got off the rails again. He is also called the “man with the fire extinguisher next to Berlusconi”. He spent almost all of his career in Europe: five legislative periods in the European Parliament, which he also chaired once, and two posts in the European Commission. It was he who represented Forza Italia in the European People’s Party – often with the fire extinguisher there too. Most recently, just a few days ago, when Berlusconi announced his unbroken affection for Vladimir Putin and quickly reinterpreted the Russian president from the aggressor of Ukraine to the one being attacked. Tajani had to guarantee in Brussels that he would make sure that Italy stayed on course, European and Atlantic. That’s exactly why Meloni insisted on the nomination of the always moderate Tajani: He should appease the international partners.

Matteo Salvini, the port locksmith

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Matteo Salvini, 49, from Milan, wanted to be interior minister again, but has now become transport minister and also deputy prime minister. With the two Vices, Meloni ensures a certain stability, at least in theory: Lega and Forza Italia are heavily involved in responsibility. But is that enough? There is already a major dispute over Salvini’s powers. He had hoped that he would get a fair share of the resources from the reconstruction fund, which will be used to modernize the infrastructure. He would have happily traveled around Italy and given the builder to recover from his slump in popularity. But Meloni assigned the administration of the reconstruction plan to her party friend Raffaele Fitto, the new Minister for Europe. Even more shameful for Salvini: Meloni apparently also wants to take away his sovereignty over the ports and the coast guard by adding a new “sea” component to the Ministry for the South. The League is up in arms. Salvini had calculated that he could resume the old game with the sea rescuers. One remembers how between the summer of 2018 and the summer of 2019 he had Italy’s ports closed to NGOs and naval ships that had rescued migrants in the Mediterranean. In one case he is still in court for this.

Giancarlo Giorgetti, the “Draghiano”

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Giancarlo Giorgetti, 53, from Varese, number two in the Lega, is the new Economy and Finance Minister. Because he is a friend and thinker of Mario Draghi, he is also called “Draghiano”. He should convince Brussels and the financial markets that Italy keeps the books in order and does not incur unnecessary debt. Another, more internationally renowned name would probably have reassured her even more, such as Fabio Panetta from the European Central Bank. But he waved it off several times. Giorgetti now has to work out the state budget for 2023 very quickly and in dizzyingly difficult times. Draghi has done some preliminary work, but the challenge remains huge: exploding energy prices, a looming recession, the old mountain of debt. Giorgetti, who studied economics at Milan’s elite Bocconi University, has been a member of parliament since 1996. For ten years he was President of the Budget Commission. The monosyllabic Giorgetti gets along well with the loud, communicative Salvini, and at times the number one is jealous of his smart number two. But in the end they always stay together.

Eugenia Roccella, the clock resetter

Eugenia Roccella, 68, from Bologna, is Italy’s new minister for family, natality and equality and the most controversial of all the nominations. She used to be a feminist. Now the “Theocon”, as the ultra-Catholic conservatives are called in Italy, and former frontwoman of the “Family Day” movement, is the terror of feminists, civil rights activists and homosexuals. Roccella has already publicly campaigned against registered partnerships for same-sex couples, against artificial insemination, against living wills, against euthanasia. About abortion she says: “This is the dark side of motherhood.” Although Meloni has repeatedly asserted that she does not want to restrict or change the right to abortion, the associations are skeptical. And Roccella’s riotous promotion seems to confirm her worries. It is said that there is a risk of situations like in Poland and Hungary, the clocks would be turned back.

Guido Crosetto, the “good giant”

Guido Crosetto, 59, from Cuneo, is Defense Minister. Not a single report in the media does without a reference to his imposing stature: Crosetto is almost two meters tall and is also known as the “good giant of the right”. When he founded Fratelli d’Italia with Meloni in 2012 and they were on stage, he quickly lifted her off the floor and carried her in his arms. The recording has become iconic, at least in Italy. Crosetto is a Christian Democrat, formerly with Forza Italia. When the brothers of Italy resist the label “post-fascism,” they always point to Crosetto. Meloni could have found a more harmless ministry for him: Most recently, Crosetto was the manager of an armaments company that specialized in equipping naval ships. He was also a lobbyist with his own consulting firm. When accused of having a conflict of interest, Crosetto replies that he has resigned from all offices and that he will liquidate his companies. “As a minister, I’m giving up 90 percent of my previous wages.”

Francesco Lollobrigida, brother-in-law

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Francesco Lollobrigida, 50, Roman, great-nephew of actress Gina Lollobrigida, is Italy’s new minister of agriculture and, well, food sovereignty. Most importantly, he is Meloni’s brother-in-law, husband to her older sister Arianna. No one is closer to the new prime minister, they always sat next to each other in parliament: he as parliamentary group leader, she as party leader. Like Meloni, “Lollo” grew up in the post-fascist youth movement, same school. He should also be the only one who dares to say no to her. When Meloni sends someone on TV, it’s usually him: he comes across well with his Hollywood-esque smile and speaks punchy sentences. Now that he has ministerial duties in addition to the parliamentary group chairmanship, and Giorgia is Prime Minister, Arianna Meloni should also move up – as the top woman in the party, as a watchdog. So everything stays in the family.