On October 22, 2022, the Italian government moved to the right, causing concern across European democracies. Euronews interviewed experts about Giorgia Meloni’s first year in government, focusing on three key themes.
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On October 22, 2022, the most right-wing and Eurosceptic Italian government since 1946 took office in Rome. The victory of Giorgia Meloni’s party in the Italian elections sparked concern across European democracies.
How can we judge the Italian Prime Minister’s policies a year later? Has it managed to eliminate its neo-fascist image, especially abroad?
Between neofascism and populism
“I am what the British would call an ‘outsider’, so to speak, the ‘outsider’, the one who, to succeed, must destroy all predictions. That’s what I want to do again: destroy the predictions.”
This is how Giorgia Meloni defined herself in front of the Italian Parliament when she presented her government program on October 25, 2022.
“From a factual point of view, the idea that Giorgia Meloni is an outsider and modest is false,” comments Gianfranco Pellegrino, lecturer in political philosophy at Luiss University of Rome.
“Giorgia Meloni has been in politics for more than twenty years. She’s not a newbie. From a financial point of view, Giorgia Meloni is certainly not a proletarian because her standard of living is very high,” he explains.
“Even the word ‘underdog’ and the image it conjures is a rhetorical exercise based on outright propaganda lies. Presenting yourself as particularly close to the people is a rhetorical technique, typically populist.”
But according to experts in migration policy, international relations and domestic politics, Giorgia Meloni has failed to show her closeness to the people and also to distance herself from the neo-fascist image that follows her:
“There was certainly an attempt to distance oneself from the neo-fascist label. However, this attempt seems to me to be only partially successful,” comments Gianfranco Pellegrino.
And yet: If Italians were called to vote today, “according to surveys, the picture would be no different, no radically different, than in the last political elections. I don’t think there would be a big victory for the left,” notes the expert.
According to an October 16 SWG poll, the Brothers of Italy have actually maintained their popularity among Italians unchanged, even as Giorgia Meloni’s party has seen a slight decline.
Evaluation of migration policy
“On some issues she tends to wave the identity flag. Immigration is one such example. After all, it doesn’t cost much. Preaching hostility towards immigrants is not as complicated as revaluing pensions or increasing incomes,” explains Maurizio Ambrosini, professor of migration sociology at the University of Milan.
“We want to make security a special feature of this government,” declared the Prime Minister on the day of the election victory, “and put an end to illegal departures by finally stopping human trafficking in the Mediterranean.”
Meloni’s government, following a key point in the political program of Matteo Salvini, the leader of the League, had expressed its intention to create one “Naval blockade” to slow the arrival of migrants on Italian shores. This blockade would have taken up the original proposal of the European Union’s Sophia naval mission, which in its planned but never implemented third phase specifically envisaged the blocking of boat trips from North Africa.
This measure was ultimately not carried out. “Unless we decide to wage war against our neighbors in North Africa, this seems to be an impractical measure or entails costs that should be seriously considered,” said Maurizio Ambrosini.
Ms. Meloni herself recently told the press that in migration policy “the results are not yet the ones we hoped for.”
After actively working on this issue, Giorgia Meloni announced the signing of one two months ago Pact with Tunisia.
At his side were Tunisian President Saïed, European Commission President Ms Von der Leyen and Dutch Prime Minister Mr Rutte.
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Brussels committed to paying 900 million euros to Tunisia, including 105 million for border controls, in return for the country’s pledge to slow migrant arrivals.
“However, it seems that these agreements are having difficulty entering into force,” comments Maurizio Ambrosini. “The problem is that a large proportion of the people leaving the country are Tunisian citizens, and generally they are the governments of neighboring or “coastal” countries. “We are more willing to cooperate when it comes to stifling the mobility of another country, but not its own citizens,” he adds.
According to the Italian Ministry of the Interior, updated on October 19, 2023, In 2023, 140,898 migrants landed on Italian shoresalmost twice as high as in 2022.
At the Council of Interior Ministers of the European Union on June 8 in Luxembourg, the 27 countries of the Union agreed on an immigration agreement that would replace the Dublin III Regulation and introduce quotas Resettlement of migrants in various European countries.
“But this strategy doesn’t work either, because the Italian partners in the East (editor’s note: Hungary and Poland) and those who are politically allied with those in power in Italy are not cooperating and are hindering these relocation agreements.” respect,” explains Maurizio Ambrosini.
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According to the expert, Giorgia Meloni’s migration policy has a striking ambiguity:
“The generous reception of Ukrainians is an extraordinary case of ‘double standards’ and duplicity in immigration and asylum, according to which refugees from certain wars in Afghanistan, Syria and other countries from the south, from Africa, are not welcome.” evoke solidarity movements. The Ukrainians, for their part, please.
And he takes stock: “It seems to me that this year has been marked by setbacks in terms of respect for human rights and solidarity. I also think about the persecution of NGOs. I think that the Cutro decree limits the possibilities of obtaining asylum in Italy.”
“On the other hand, I am interested in openness towards employees… More entry opportunities for professional reasons seem to be a good solution, especially since companies demand this and they can perhaps at least partially represent an alternative to risky journeys by sea. However, it is necessary to plan an integration policy for these workers.
A difficult year for civil rights
“The three most important measures in terms of civil rights were the bill that sought to make GPA a general criminal offense, and the measure that favored the fact that prefects do not automatically recognize children born of PMA abroad, and the Measures on the birth rate contained therein Financial law. These offer incentives to facilitate access to daycare, as well as economic benefits for working mothers with more than two children,” explains Gianfranco Pellegrino, conference leader in political philosophy at LUISS in Rome.
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In March, the Meloni government launched an offensive in favor of the traditional family. A circular was issued asking municipalities to do so Stop listing non-biological parents on the birth certificates of children with two fathers or two mothers. Then there was opposition to a proposed European regulation on the issue.
Surrogacy is prohibited in Italy. Therefore, many homosexual couples go abroad to have a child. Back in Italy, the question of recognizing their children in the national registers arises, and problems arise here too. There is no law recognizing kinship for same-sex families, meaning only the biological parent is recognized.
For several years now, some municipal administrations have allowed the names of both parents to be entered when signing the birth certificate at the registry office, which amounts to real recognition. But the Prime Minister blocked this approach.
Ms. Meloni also said that women with more than two children contribute to society.
“There is the idea that the natural family, born of a heterosexual union, is the basic unit of society,” notes Gianfranco Pellegrino, “and that it is right to have unconventional families, that is, families composed of same-sex couples, to discriminate against people.”, single parents or people who decide not to have children. These people would therefore be discriminated against and viewed as less valued by the state.
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Foreign policy: between Europeanism and the sovereigntist axis
Giorgia Meloni has had to give up her initial anti-Europeanism over the last twelve months.
“Their fundamental aim was to consolidate a reliable image, different from the one presented by the international media,” Cecilia Sottilotta, professor of political science at the University for Foreigners of Perugia (Unistrapg), told Euronews.
“The situation could be described as follows: Italy needs Europe just as much as Europe needs Italy. Therefore, Ms. Meloni had to find a way to work with the European institutions and, conversely, the European institutions had to make an effort to work with them.” her.
Giorgia Meloni has repeatedly stressed the need to support Ukraine during the war, even as parts of her government such as Matteo Salvini and Silvio Berlusconi have shown admiration for Mr. Putin.
Giorgia Meloni’s position has also evolved over time.
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After Moscow’s invasion of Crimea in 2014, it regularly opposed sanctions against Russia, citing the need to protect Italian exports.
In a television interview in 2022, before Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine, she stressed the importance of maintaining good relations with Mr. Putin.
“However, of the three right-wing parties, the Brothers of Italy are certainly the one that least supports Putin,” comments Cecilia Sottilotta.
“Mrs. __Meloni had to face difficult times, because we remember when Silvio Berlusconi spoke out very clearly in favor of Mr. Putin, defended him and attacked Mr. Zelensky. We remember the Matteo Salvini scene with the famous T-shirt with the inscription “Vladimir.” Putin’s face in Red Square. In short, this was clearly a source of embarrassment. However, since the Brothers of Italy were the least exposed party compared to Russia, it was relatively easier for them to distance themselves from it.
On September 14, 2023, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a right-wing nationalist, made no secret of his joy at being back in touch with his girlfriend Giorgia Meloni, who was a regular in Hungary during her time in opposition but had been waiting since then Might.
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This year, the Prime Minister also met three times with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
“At the European level, Ms Meloni remains an ally of governments such as Viktor Orbán’s in Hungary and Poland.“, notes Cecilia Sottilotta.
“So there certainly remain some fundamental ambiguities.”
“Does it aspire to become an attractive force for the right in general? That is possible. To understand this, we need to monitor the situation closely.” next European elections.”