The latest polls give you the favourite. Giorgia Meloni, leader of Italy’s far-right Fratelli D’Italia, Brothers of Italy party, could become Italy’s next prime minister if her party wins early legislative elections this Sunday.
Considered post-fascist, his party is part of a right-wing coalition, with the League, the anti-European formation led by Matteo Salvini, and Forza Italia, the conservative movement created by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
• “Conservative” values
Giorgia Meloni herself describes her party as a “conservative” formation, for which questions of “individual freedom”, “family” and “national identity” are central.
“I think there is no question that our values are conservative. The issues of individual freedom, private enterprise in the economy, academic freedom, the centrality of the family and its role in our society, the protection of borders against uncontrolled immigration, the defense of the Italian national identity, these are the issues that concern us”, explained the 45-year-old candidate to the Washington Post in an interview granted in mid-September.
• The defense of “natural families”
The one that campaigned under the slogan “God, country and family” defends the traditional family pattern, which it describes as “natural.”
“Yes to natural families, no to the LGBT lobby! Yes to sexual identity, no to gender ideology!” he told her during a speech in June. He later tweaked the shot a bit, saying he would “change the tone, not the content” of this speech delivered at a rally by the far-right Spanish Vox party. The candidate also claimed to be against the adoption of children by homosexual couples.
Abortion was also the subject of heated debate during the election campaign after Giorgia Meloni said she wanted to offer an option to women who are reluctant to have an abortion.
“We are not going to touch the abortion law, we just want (women) to know that there are other options,” he said.
• Priority to “Christian values”
As stated in her motto, the candidate also fervently defends “the Christian values that founded our civilization.” “I am in favor of the crucifix hanging on the walls of our public schools, not because I want to impose the religion I believe in on anyone. […] But whether we like it or not, Christian values have shaped our civilization,” he told the Washington Post.
An idea that he already defended in 2019, when he explained to his activists in Rome that “if you feel offended by the crucifix, this is not where you should live. The world is huge and full of Islamic nations where you won.” I won’t find a crucifix because Christians are being persecuted there and churches are being razed.”
“We will fight against the Islamization of Europe, because we have no intention of becoming a Muslim continent,” he added.
• “National interests” before Europe
Precisely, among the other themes loved by Giorgia Meloni is Europe. If she buried her dream that Italy would leave the euro and now presents herself as “Europeanist”, the candidate intends to change her tone towards the European institutions that, according to her, have “displaced” her “priorities”. , as shown in “pandemic and war”.
“The party is over”, Italy “will begin to defend its national interests” with Brussels, “as the others do”, he warned during a meeting in mid-September in Milan.
The candidate advocates “a confederal Europe” that “respects the sovereignty of the Member States” leaving them to decide on the “proximity policy” that directly concerns citizens.
With this in mind, he calls for the renegotiation of the Italian post-Covid recovery plan, financed with almost 200 billion euros by Europe, to take into account the increase in energy costs after the war in Ukraine.
The right-wing coalition also calls for a “review of the rules of the Stability Pact”, suspended due to the health crisis, which set a ceiling of 3% of GDP for the deficit and 60% for the debt. And for good reason, Italy is crumbling under a debt of more than 2.7 billion euros, or about 150% of GDP, the highest ratio in the euro zone behind Greece.
• Immigration control
Giorgia Meloni is finally planning more immigration checks. She promises to stop the migrants who arrive in the tens of thousands each year on Italian shores on boats from North Africa, offering asylum processing centers outside the EU.
“A serious State watches over and defends its borders. I will not tire of repeating it: the only way to stop illegal immigration is a maritime blockade, that is, a European mission in agreement with the North African authorities. we put an end to illegal departures to Italy and to the tragedy of those killed at sea, ”she assured on Instagram at the end of August, according to comments spread by international mail.
• Ukraine, taxes, justice
In their program presented in early August, the right-wing parties also pledged to respect Italy’s commitments to NATO and to continue to support Ukraine against Russia, while supporting diplomatic efforts for peace.
They also promise to reduce and simplify taxes and the implementation of measures aimed at remedying the drop in the birth rate in Italy, in particular through the labor protection of young mothers.
Other promises relate to judicial reform, in particular “ending media trials,” a long-standing concern of Silvio Berlusconi, who has been the subject of legal proceedings throughout his career.
Source: BFM TV
