Brothers of Italy leader Georgia Meloni is set to become Italy’s first female prime minister after running on a populist platform. The right-wing alliance led by Meloni’s party is projected to gain control over both houses of parliament, with a projected 42.2% of the Senate vote.
Meloni’s coalition spotlighted immigration reform and pro-family policies enroute to victory. “Italy is better than the left-wing governments it has had in recent years. The left is there to blather that everyone is afraid, but the only ones who are afraid are them because they have understood that their system of power is about to end,” the conservative firebrand said during a rally earlier this week in Rome.
“We are ready, until the last vote, to restore freedom and pride to this nation. They say the markets, Europe, TikTok singers, actors, and influencers are worried about a centre-right victory. We don’t care what they say. We care what the Italians think,” Meloni continued, according to Italian newspaper Il Giornale.
Meloni has promised to enact major reforms to the Italian presidency once in office. Proposed reforms could allow the nation’s president to be elected by the Italian people, as opposed to being appointed by parliament. Such a move would require constitutional amendment, or 2/3 support, however.
Meloni’s party is projected to secure 25% of the vote after election results are officially tallied. Antonio Salvini’s League (Lega) Party, a collation partner, is expected to receive 11.5 percent. Another coalition partner in Silvio Berlusconi’s Forward Italy is expected to receive around 7.5 percent of the vote.
Illegal migration has been a major campaign issue for Salvini’s party, as illegal arrivals have surged this year to over 66,000. Salvini is currently facing an ongoing trial after allegations of kidnapping when he refused to allow a migrant taxi NGO ship to disembark in Italy while serving as interior minister in 2019.
“Today I am here at 49 and for trying to block ships arriving illegally in Italy, on the basis of the mandate given by the Italians, I risk 15 years in prison. But I did it with conviction. And, gentlemen, I can’t wait to do it again,” Salvini said during a speech at the rally in Rome.
Meloni’s party also ran heavy on immigration. In addition, Brothers of Italy campaigned on tackling the nation’s declining birthrate through natural means. Earlier this month, Meloni released a 40-page plan which is one of the lowest in Europe and fell to record lows during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Breitbart News reported.
Among the pro-family policies is a payment of 300 euros per month for children during their first year, which reduces to 260 euros per month until the child is 18. In addition, FdI wants to reduce value-added taxes (VAT) on childhood products such as baby formula and wants to make the first hundred thousand euros of any first home purchase tax-free.
Meloni’s party has also vowed to do more to showcase Italian products, including producing “Made in Italy” certificates for companies and promoting commercial tourism for Italian-made products.
The rise of Meloni’s coalition in Italy has been met with vehement disapproval from leftists, corporate media outlets and pro-European Union elements. E.U. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that the bloc has “tools” it can use in order to counteract “difficult” outcomes in the Italian election.
“My approach is that whatever democratic government is willing to work with us, we’re working together,” von der Leyen said from the United States earlier this week. “If things go in a difficult direction, I’ve spoken about Hungary and Poland, we have tools,” she went on to say.
Meloni and her allies have been labelled as “far-right” by critics and corporate media outlets.