Photo: Georgia Meloney
Giorgia Meloni (45), head of the extreme right-wing leader Brothers of Italy, has claimed victory in the Italian national elections. As a result, she is going to be the country's first woman prime minister.
For the first time since World War II, the hard right is coming to power in Italy. This has alarmed the country's liberals as well as immigrants.
Georgia Maloney will face challenges in implementing the energy crisis, tax concessions, pension reforms, etc., despite success at the ballot box.
Experts say that Italy is moving forward on the path of uncertainty with the victory of the right wing.
64 percent of citizens voted in last Sunday's polls. According to preliminary results, Meloni's Brothers of Italy received 26 percent of the vote. Earlier in the 2018 elections, the party got only 4 percent votes.
This time, Brothers of Italy has achieved good results, but the condition of its potential allies is poor. Matteo Salvini's League Norda has fared worse than the last election. In the 2018 elections, the party got 17 percent votes, but this time it got only 9 percent votes.
Another coalition partner, Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia, won 8 percent of the vote, up from 14 percent last time. Still, Meloni's right-wing coalition looks set to win a majority in both the upper and lower houses of parliament, with around 44 percent of the vote overall.
On the other hand, hard-right rivals Enrico Letta's Democratic Party got 19 percent and Giuseppe Conte's Five Star Movement got 15 percent. Despite policy similarities on issues such as immigration and the minimum wage, they have not formed a coalition for various reasons.
Georgia Maloney campaigned under the controversial slogan of the condemned fascists 'God, Country and Family'. On Monday morning, he said, "For many, it was a night of pride, a night of liberation." We have to start proving ourselves from tomorrow (Tuesday). The Italians elected us. We will not betray, as we have never done before. '
A Democratic Party leader called Meloni's victory a "sad night" for the country.
Five Star Movement leader Giuseppe Conte announced to work as an uncompromising opposition party.
Following the electoral success of the far-right in Sweden just a few weeks ago, the European Union's eyes were on Italy's elections. Several European leaders congratulated Meloni on his election victory in Italy, a founding member of the EU and the country's third-largest economy. Some have also expressed concern.
Santiago Abascal, leader of Spain's radical right-wing party Vox, said, "Meloni has shown the way to a proud and independent Europe built on sovereign countries. '
However, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albarez warned, "The populist movement may develop, but it ends in a sudden disaster." '
Despite having a skeptical attitude towards the European Union, Georgia Meloni supports sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine issue. He no longer wants Italy to leave the EU. However, Rome has said that it will prioritize its own interests from now on. Meloni's domestic political allies differ on the Ukraine issue. Matteo Salvini questions the rationale of Western sanctions against Russia. On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin has a long-standing friendship with Silvio Berlusconi. Comrade Berlusconi says Putin has been pushed into Ukraine war.
Sources: AFP, BBC, CNN
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