09/29/2022 08:42 (act 09/29/2022 13:29)
Candidate Meloni after winning Italy’s general election ©APA/AFP
Italian right-wing populist Giorgia Meloni is silent after her victory in Sunday’s parliamentary elections.
After briefly celebrating with his supporters on election night and thanking Italians for their trust, the head of the right-wing Fratelli d’Italia (FdI – Brothers of Italy) party just tweeted. No big celebrations at party headquarters, no militant slogans: the winner of the election is avoiding the public these days.
Wearing a pink basketball cap at the wheel of her private car, Meloni was photographed outside her apartment. She avoids journalists. After a meeting with alliance partner Matteo Salvini of the right-wing Lega party on Tuesday afternoon, only a simple press release was published in which the government’s two future coalition partners reaffirmed their firm willingness to cooperate. No official date is set with Meloni this week. Her spokesperson is silent. After being ubiquitous during the election campaign in midsummer, Roman Meloni went into hiding and the media is now asking: where is the winner of the election?
Recovery of the election campaign
According to his closest associates, the 45-year-old politician is recovering from the rigors of a difficult election campaign after winning. She needs time for her six-year-old daughter. She is also thinking about her next political steps. “Silence can be a necessary strategy to avoid mistakes, because Meloni knows very well that all the microphones, TV cameras, cell phones, eyes and ears are on her, in Italy and abroad”, commented the Roman daily La Repubblica ” .
Refining the list of ministers
According to leaks, Meloni is preparing for his future role as head of government and is already working on the list of ministers. She would be the first woman in that role in Italy. After years in the tough opposition caucuses, the Fratelli d’Italia, which increased their votes sixfold compared to the 2018 general election, would have to assume responsibility for the government, which is a major obstacle in the current difficult phase with challenges ahead. home and abroad.
While Meloni has sharply criticized the cabinet of internationally popular former ECB chief Mario Draghi over the past 15 months, professional politics in Garbatella’s left-wing workers’ district must now demonstrate its ability to govern and show the way to overcome Italy’s many problems. . The energy crisis, rising inflation, the threat of recession and illegal immigration are problems that Meloni must address as a priority. As soon as it is highlighted, it has to approve the budget law for the next year with measures to support families and businesses. Time is short: the budget must be approved by the new parliament by the end of December.
The controversial issue of abortion
Meanwhile, Meloni is already feeling the effects of the opposition in the country. In several Italian cities, including Rome, women took to the streets on Tuesday to protest for abortion rights in Italy. The reason is fears that a future right-wing government under Meloni could make access to abortion more difficult. During the election campaign, the FdI leader stated that she wanted to offer women an alternative to abortion.
Access to abortion is already often difficult in Italy, with many Catholic doctors opposing abortion for reasons of conscience. In many regions, 80 or 90 percent of doctors refuse abortion. Meloni told an election rally that while she didn’t change the abortion law, she wanted to make it clear that there were “other options.”