Meloni’s Far-Right Party Triumphs in European Elections
Rome, The Gulf Observer: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party has emerged victorious in the European elections in Italy, securing a robust 28% of the vote. This victory not only strengthens Meloni’s leadership domestically but also solidifies her influential role in European politics.
According to projections by state broadcaster RAI, based on nearly 70% of votes counted, the Brothers of Italy party has improved its performance from the 26% it garnered in the 2022 general elections. This win confirms the party’s status as Italy’s most popular political force.
The election results provide a significant boost for Meloni, who has been in power for nearly two years. The victory came largely at the expense of her governing partners. Matteo Salvini’s hard-right League party, which topped the 2019 EU election with over 34%, managed to secure only 8.5% this time, falling behind its former junior ally, Forza Italia, which garnered over 9%.
In contrast, the main opposition party, the centre-left Democratic Party, received 24.5%, while the populist Five Star Movement saw a substantial decrease, obtaining only 10.5%, seven points down from the 2019 elections.
Meloni’s personalized electoral campaign, emphasizing her leadership, has positioned her as a formidable figure in the EU. The gains by far-right parties across Europe dealt significant setbacks to key leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
“I’m proud that we are heading to the G7 and to Europe with the strongest government of all,” Meloni stated at her party’s headquarters early Monday. She described the election outcome as “extraordinary” and pledged to use it as “fuel” for future endeavors.
Despite the strong popular support, Meloni’s conservative government faces challenges, particularly with Italy’s fragile public finances and the looming 2025 budget. Giovanni Orsina, director of the school of government at LUISS university in Rome, remarked, “Meloni gets out of these elections stronger, first of all because this is a government that has not lost consensus, which is quite unique in Europe.” He added that Meloni’s position is now pivotal between the far-right and the European People’s Party.
Projections indicate that Meloni’s party will secure between 23 to 25 seats in the European Parliament, a significant increase from the six seats it held after the 2019 elections when it was a minor opposition party.
