Giorgia Meloni will be the most right-wing Italian head of state since Mussolini. Fratelli d’Italia has its origins in a formation founded by nostalgic fascists after World War II.
His victory follows that of a party with neo-Nazi roots in Sweden and the spectacular successes of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in France. Immigration is at the heart of the electoral manifesto of these parties.
With the war in Ukraine and its consequences, immigration will dominate politics in Europe for the foreseeable future: the influx of refugees from North Africa and the Middle East will continue to increase.
- Hear Normand Lester’s editorial on Richard Martineau’s show, which is broadcast live daily at 9:48am. above QUB radio :
place for women
Becoming Italy’s first woman prime minister has been the former bartender’s dream since her political beginnings as a far-right teenage activist in a slum of Rome.
Marine Le Pen and British Prime Minister Liz Truss were quick to congratulate Giorgia Meloni. Hillary Clinton said electing a country’s first woman prime minister is “definitely a good thing”. She might one day regret saying that.
As women politicians sing her praises, Guardian columnist Van Badham viciously writes that the election of Giorgia Meloni is a reminder that women can be just as obnoxious as men in public. Women lead right-wing governments and are sometimes as warlike as men: Golda Meir, Margaret Thatcher, Indira Gandhi. I open a parenthesis here.
In Canada, the conservative right has not made such a fortunate choice by electing Kim Campbell as leader, becoming Canada’s first female prime minister. Only for a few months. In 1993 she suffered the worst electoral defeat in the country’s history, and the “Honourable” Jean Charest, to use the term that sometimes confuses her, succeeded her as leader of the Conservative party.
- If you want more, listen to this segment by Normand Lester, broadcast live on radio via every Wednesday at 9:50am QUB radio :
A nightmare for Europe
Giorgia Meloni will work with Hungary and Poland when it comes to reducing immigration to the European Union. Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish Prime Minister, had already tweeted his congratulations before she announced the victory.
Meloni says she will keep Italy aligned with NATO in its support for Ukraine. But a harsh winter could prompt him to consider abandoning sanctions and taking a hard line on Moscow: his potential coalition partners are crazed, compulsive billionaire Silvio Berlusconi and anti-immigrant populist Matteo Salvini. The two get along with Putin like thieves at a fair.
Liz and Giorgia, same fight
More and more Italians are identifying with Giorgia Meloni’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and conservative family policy. She promises more support for day care centers and encourages Italian women to have more babies to keep migrant workers out of Italy.
And his tax promises would mean less revenue for the government and a lot of pressure to borrow more. Italy is already one of the most indebted countries in Europe. Liz Truss here we come!
