The first female prime minister of Italy is sworn in as Giorgia Meloni: Giorgia Meloni, a right-wing former journalist, has been sworn in as Italy’s first female prime minister. Meloni, who leads the right-wing Brothers of Italy party, was appointed by President Sergio Mattarella on Saturday after the previous government collapsed. She will lead a caretaker government until new elections can be held.
Meloni, 45, is a controversial figure who has been accused of racism and xenophobia. She has in the past compared Muslim immigrants to “invaders” and has said that Italy should not take in refugees. She has also been a vocal critic of same marriage and has described feminism as a “dangerous” ideology. Despite her controversial views, Meloni is popular with many Italians who are fed up with the country’s corrupt and incompetent political establishment. She is seen as a straight-talking, no-nonsense leader who is not afraid to take on the establishment.
According to the news agency, the head of the nationalist Brothers of Italy, Meloni, won last month’s election as part of a coalition that included Forza Italia, led by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, and Matteo Salvini’s anti-immigrant League. Her government, the 12th this century, replaces a national unity administration piloted by former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi, who was at the forefront of European Union efforts to sanction Russia after it invaded Ukraine in February. Meloni’s party, which has neo-fascist roots, sought to project a moderate image during the election campaign. This included dropping previous anti-EU rhetoric and pledge to keep Italy at the heart of European and Western institutions.
Meloni’s appointment as prime minister is a sign of the growing influence of the right-wing in Italian politics. It comes at a time when the country is facing a number of challenges, including a worsening economic crisis, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and the recent eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
