- Paul Kirby
- BBC correspondent from Rome
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September 26, 2022 at 8:30 am
image source,Getty Images
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Meloni is expected to form the most right-wing government in Italy since World War II.
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Giorgia Meloni, leader of Italy’s far right, has won the general elections and is expected to become the country’s first female prime minister. Meloni is expected to form the most right-wing government in Italy since World War II. Her election victory shocked much of Europe as Italy is the third largest economy in the EU.
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However, after the vote, Meloni said that her party, the Brothers of Italy, “will rule for everyone” and will not betray the trust of the people. “The Italians have sent a clear message in favor of a right-wing government led by the Italian Brothers,” she told reporters in the capital Rome, holding a sign saying “Thank you! Italy”.
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It will get about 26 percent of the vote, according to provisional poll results, ahead of its closest rival, leader Enrico Letta, who represents the center-left party, with 19.3 percent.
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Meloni’s right-wing coalition, which also includes Matteo Salvini’s far right and center-right Forza Italia of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, now seems to have won: the country’s Senate and House of Representatives should receive 42, 2 percent of the votes in the Senate.
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The decision of who will become the next leader of Italy is in the hands of the Italian president Sergio Mattarella and it will take some time to know the outcome.
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While Meloni has worked hard to soften his image, highlight his support for Ukraine and downplay anti-EU rhetoric, he leads a party that has grown from neo-fascists honoring the country’s past dictator Benito Mussolini The Rise of Molecular Movements.
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Earlier this year, Meloni outlined his priorities should he rule in a boisterous speech to Spain’s far-right Vox party: “Pro natural family, anti-LGBT rights group lobbying, pro gender identity, Against the gender ideology, against Islamic violence, for border security, against mass immigration, say no to big international finance … resist the bureaucrats in Brussels! “
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image source,Reuters
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Italy’s Interior Ministry said voter turnout dropped dramatically this time, with 63.82% at the end of the polls, nearly 10% less than in 2018. Turnout was particularly low in the regions southerners, including Sicily.
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The Italian center-left alliance was far behind with 26 percent of the vote. Democrat Debora Serracchiani said it was a sad night for Italy. You argue that the right “has a majority in parliament but not at a national level”.
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The left failed to form a viable coalition with other parties after the collapse of the Italian government of national unity that lasted 18 months in July. Even before the vote, the incumbent officials were frustrated. The Five Star Movement, led by Giuseppe Conte, should finish in third place, but despite some center-left policies of his party, it is not close to the left-wing Democratic Party led by former Prime Minister Letta. (Democratic Party) opinions are stay inconsistent.
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Italy’s Interior Ministry said voter turnout dropped dramatically this time, with 63.82% at the end of the polls, nearly 10% less than in 2018. Turnout was particularly low in the regions southerners, including Sicily.
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Italy is one of the founding nations of the European Union and a member of NATO, and Meloni’s remarks on the EU led it to be considered close to the Hungarian nationalist leader, Viktor Orban. Furthermore, its allies have close ties with Russia. Berlusconi, 85, said last week that Putin was forced to invade Ukraine, while Salvini questioned Western sanctions on Moscow.
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Meloni wants to review the reforms that Italy has agreed with the EU in exchange for up to 200 billion euros for post-pandemic recovery and loans. He claims that the energy crisis in Europe has changed the situation. Balazs Orban, longtime political director of the Hungarian prime minister, hastened to congratulate the Italian right-wing parties: “More than ever, we need allies with a shared vision and a response to Europe’s challenges.”
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In France, Jordan Bardella, a member of the far-right National Rally party, said Italian voters gave European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen a lesson in humility. Because the latter has already stated that if Italy chooses to go in a “difficult direction”, Europe will have “the means” to respond.
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The three leaders of the Italian right joined on stage last week for the first time in more than two years.
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However, Gianluca Passarrelli, a professor at the University of Rome I, told the BBC he believed that if Meloni came to power, he would initially avoid clashing with European politics and would focus on other things: “I think we will. see more restrictions on civil rights, LGBT and home immigration policies. “
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Salvini wants to return to the Ministry of the Interior to stop the boats of refugees entering Italy from Libya. The election marks a one-third reduction in the size of both chambers, to the advantage of the party with the majority. According to a Rai TV exit poll, the three major parties will occupy 227 to 257 seats in the renewed 400-seat parliament. It occupies 111 to 131 seats in the 200-seat Senate.
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Salvini said the right has a clear advantage in both houses. The same Rita poll also showed that Meloni’s coalition could dominate, with the center left holding only 78-98 seats in the House of Representatives and 33-53 seats in the Senate.
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The Italian party leader rarely accepts an exclusive interview with Taiwan Media
Chinese correspondent for the BBC Lu Jiahong
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In these elections, the outside world is also paying attention to the strait-crossing policy with which the new prime minister is popular. In March 2019, Chinese President Xi Jinping flew to Rome and signed a memorandum on the Belt and Road Initiative with then Prime Minister Antonio Conte. Italy is the only member of the Group of Seven (G7) participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.
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Taiwanese official mediaThe Central News Agency released an interview on September 23, Melloni replied in writing to questions on the Strait. This is the first time in many years that an Italian political leader has been interviewed by a Taiwanese media. Meloni told the Central News Agency that if there is a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait, it will have a direct impact on Europe. He said the EU should use all political and diplomatic means to “do its best to exert pressure to avoid conflicts in the Taiwan Strait”.
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image source,EPA
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On September 23, the Central News Agency of Taiwan’s official media published an exclusive interview and Meloni responded in writing to questions about the Strait.
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He also told the Central News Agency: “Don’t forget that the EU is also China’s main export market. If they decide to attack Taiwan, this could lead to market closure (exports to China).” He said the far-right party he leads and Taiwan are “linked by sincere friendship”. If he manages to lead the next government, he will promote greater bilateral cooperation between Italy and Taiwan.
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But his remarks were met with protests in Beijing. After the release of the Central News Agency interview,On the same day, the Chinese Embassy in Italy also issued a statement“The Chinese side noted some negative remarks related to Taiwan and used the Taiwan issue to talk about things and hype to be hard on China. The Chinese side expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the relevant remarks.”
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The statement stressed that “no matter how the international situation changes, adherence to openness and cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win outcomes should always become the mainstream of developing China-Italy relations. China attributes great importance to the development of relations with Italy, and is willing to jointly grasp the correct development direction of the global strategic partnership between China and Italy “.
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In any case, the elections have already had repercussions on the country’s young people. Jessica, who works in the fashion industry in her 20s in northern Italy, told the Chinese BBC: “I’m not really surprised by this result, it’s the result of the prevailing climate of the Italian right today, even if the turnout is very high. low. But as Young Women, I fear that the road to civil rights will suddenly stop. But as a member of the EU, I hope that some extreme political aspects will be blocked. “
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image source,Getty Images
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In the Italian political elections, the outside world is also paying attention to the policy of crossing the Strait that appeals to the new Prime Minister.
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