Meloni is showing the same political wisdom and perseverance that got her from the per iphery to the forefront of Italian politics and made her a powerful player in the EU as Italians votes for a new EU parliament alongside voters from 26 other nations. . The Italian Premier has become the most influential far-right politician in Europe in less than two years of taking charge of the third-biggest economy in the EU.
Ms Meloni, who leads the far-right Brothers of Italy (FdI), was appointed prime minister in 2022 and has taken the rare step of putting her name at the top of her party’s ballot, even though she has no intention of taking up a seat in the European Parliament.
Italians will begin voting on Saturday afternoon on the third of four days of European elections where people across 27 countries will choose members of the next EU Parliament.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is hoping the result will tighten her grip on Italian politics. She has even urged voters to “just write Giorgia” on their ballot.
Most EU countries are voting on Sunday, after a turbulent few weeks in which two European leaders and several other politicians come under physical attack.
On Friday evening Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was assaulted in the street in Copenhagen, two days before Danes vote.
Leaders across Europe have united in shock at the latest attack, in the middle of elections involving a potential 373 million European voters.
Last month Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico survived an attempt on his life and only recently was allowed out of hospital. Several German political figures have also been targeted.
These elections are not supposed to have a bearing on national politics, but the reality is very different, especially in Italy.Whereas Matteo Salvini’s once-dominant populist League party, whose supporters are being drawn in by FdI, has been gradually losing ground to Giorgia Meloni’s junior coalition partner. Meloni has, since taking office in 2022, enjoyed consistent poll ratings supported by a divided opposition from the left and center.
