Giorgia Meloni won Italy’s general election on September 25, which puts her in great position to become future prime minister. This would be Italy’s first female prime minister, along with the most right-winged leader since Benito Mussolini.
Who is Giorgia Meloni?
Meloni began in politics in 2006 and co-founded the Brothers of Italy six years later, a party that is strong in their Euroscepticism (criticism of the Europe Union and European integration) and anti-immigration policies. The party has had growing popularity recently, which goes against Italy’s usual avoidance of mainstream politics. This party is directly correlated to Mussolini and fascism and is a hard-right coalition. That is not to say that Italy has fully moved to the right, as political scientists said, but just showcases their hope for a new leader who can help the country.
She is a single mother from working-class Rome, something that has been pivotal in her career. Being a woman has really differentiated Meloni from the rest of the coalition, though they do all want a hard-right future for Italy.
Fascism Explained
Fascism is defined as “a political philosphoy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition” according to Webster’s Dictionary.
In recent years, the E.U. has done much work during the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, but Meloni’s win shows that Italy is going against sovereignty and towards nationalism. Meloni has been active with her support of Ukraine and its fight against Russia but fellow coalition members such as Matteo Salvini and Silvio Berlusconi have differing opinions. This could be foreshadowing of a “short-lived government” of the right-wing, according to The New York Times.
The Opinions of the People
Overall, there is concern about a lack of experience that Meloni has and a worry about the economic future ahead. If the coalition were to win two-third of the seats in Parliament, there was also major worries that the ring-wing would change the norms of the country and increase the government powers in the constitution.
Meloni said, in an interview right before her election,” that her victory would be “a redemption” for everyone who “for decades had to keep their heads and who had an alternative vision from the mainstream of the system of power.” Follow @VALLEYmag to keep up with this news and more.
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