Giorgia Meloni is expected to become Italy’s first female prime minister after her coalition emerged as the single largest party in the elections.
Her success symbolizes a seismic change in Italy, a founding member of the European Union and the bloc’s third-largest economy.
Meloni, who campaigned on a motto of “God, country and family”, ran an aggressive campaign calling for the preservation of Christian identity and the “traditional” family.
She advocates traditional Catholic family values and declared at a 2019 rally in Rome: “I am Giorgia, I am a woman, I am a mother, I am Italian, I am Christian.” Meloni has in the past railed against “LGBT lobbies”.
The The 45-year-old far-right leader has also pledged to impose pushback on illegal immigrants while putting Italians’ interests above everything in the European Union.
Meloni’s right-wing alliance includes Matteo Salvini’s far-right League and former PM Silvio Berlusconi’s center-right Forza Italia will take control of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, with around 44% of the vote.
The Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) – a party with neo-fascist roots – won the most votes in Italy’s national elections, looking set to form the country’s first far-right-led government since World War II.
Experts fear that the far-right victory in Italy’s elections is likely to lead to an alliance of Italy, Poland and Hungary by adopting a eurosceptic stance on European Union affairs, Euronews reported.
World reaction
United States: The Biden administration publicly pledged to work with the country’s incoming leaders despite concern about their party’s fascist roots. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the Biden administration was “eager to work with Italy’s government on our shared goals: supporting a free and independent Ukraine, respecting human rights, and building a sustainable economic future.”
Poland: Poland and Hungary were the two countries that enthusaistcaly welcomed the triumph. “Great victory! Congratulations!” wrote Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote.
Hungary: Balazs Orban, political director for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, congratulated Giorgia Meloni, Matteo Salvini and Silvio Berlusconi and said: “In these difficult times, we need more than ever friends who share a common vision and approach to Europe’s challenges.”
France: French President Emmanuel Macron said he respected the “democratic choice” of the Italian people, adding that as “neighbors and friends” the two countries would continue to work together.
Germany: German leader said that they hope Italy will continue to be a Europe-friendly country. “We of course have to wait for the official final result from this election but at this time what the chancellor would say is that Italy is a very Europe-friendly country with very Europe-friendly citizens and we assume that won’t change,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s deputy spokesman Wolfgang Buechner told reporters.
Spain: Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said that populist movements always surge during difficult times but always end badly. “These are uncertain times and at times like this, populist movements always grow, but it always ends in the same way – in catastrophe because they offer simple short-term answers to problems which are very complex,” he told reporters.
Russia: The Russian government also welcomed Meloni’s victory: “We are ready to welcome any political forces that are able to go beyond the established mainstream, which is filled with hate for our country … and show willingness to be constructive in relations with our country,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.