The leader of the far-right Brothers of . party Italy has been tipped to become the country’s next prime minister amid a new wave of political chaos in the country.
Firebrand Giorgia Meloni, whose party includes Il Duce’s granddaughter as a councilor in Rome, leads in the polls ahead of a likely snap election.
Ms Meloni, 45, has called for elections ‘now’ after incumbent Prime Minister Mario Draghi submitted his resignation, which was rejected by President Mattarella.
Former minister Meloni became the youngest in Italian history when she served under Silvio Berlusconi.
Giorgia Meloni, pictured in April, has called for immediate elections after the fall of the government
She left his center-right group after three years.
Berlusconi’s collapse and the sputtering of far-right rivals The League has sent the Brothers of Italy soaring in the polls — rivaling current Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s Democrats.
Popular policies including a naval blockade of the North African coast to prevent migrants from reaching Italian shores.
She also supports financial incentives for couples to have more children, making Italy less dependent on migrant workers.
Though Meloni has caused controversy with her opposition to gay adoption.
Far-right firefighter Meloni (pictured at the 2019 campaign event) supports a migrant blockade
Mario Draghi resigned last week after his coalition failed to function
But after rising from 4 percent in the 2018 general election to an estimated 22 percent now, Meloni has certainly found an audience.
Her biggest obstacle, however, is Berlusconi and League party leader Matteo Salvini’s opposition to elections.
Silvio Berlusconi, former ally of Ms Meloni, has said elections will not be soon
Putin lap dog Dmitry Medvedev responded to Draghi’s resignation attempt with a meme that also featured Boris Johnson, captioned: “Who’s next?”
Ms Meloni has described the EU as a ‘failure’ and historically soft on Russia, although this has been reversed since the invasion of Ukraine in late February.
Meanwhile, Draghi weighed his options after the populist ally caused the five-star movement a crisis by withholding support for a government-sponsored bill.
On the immediate horizon are behind-the-scenes talks until midweek to see if Draghi can be persuaded to continue to rule with a newly formed majority – which major parties seem to want – or an option other than snap elections as soon as September.
Who is Giorgia Meloni?
Leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, Giorgia Meloni, is seen as a spiritual successor to Benito Mussolini.
Rachele Mussolini – the granddaughter of Il Duce – is even a party councilor.
Meloni, 45, rose to fame in the past two years as her group won in the polls.
From 2008 to 2011, she was Minister for Youth Policy in Silvio Berlusconi’s cabinet.
But has hardened her right-wing stance since she was part of the center-right government.
She is a social conservative hobbyhorse and supports old school authoritarian policies, including opposition to gay adoption.
Brothers of Italy also supports blocking national borders and increasing Italy’s birth rate so that the country is less dependent on migrant workers.
Meloni, who now leads the polls, is a firm favorite to succeed Mario Draghi as Italy’s prime minister.
She has called on the government to hold elections immediately – and possibly return to the government in coalition with Berlusconi and fellow far-right figure Matteo Salvini.
Draghi immediately offered to resign on Thursday after 5-star senators boycotted a vote to help Italians deal with rising energy prices, arguing that the terms leading to his government of national unity have left parties on the right, left. – and the 5-star group, no longer exist.
But President Sergio Mattarella turned down his offer, telling Draghi to go back to parliament on Wednesday to brief lawmakers and offer “an assessment of the situation.”
It is noteworthy that Mattarella did not request a confidence vote. Draghi has been clear that there would be no second Draghi government or one without the 5 stars. In any case, the prescribed extra days of limbo Mattarella would allow Draghi to make a planned visit to Algeria to finalize important agreements on gas imports.
The turmoil couldn’t have come at a worse time for the eurozone’s third-largest economy. Italy is facing rising inflation and energy costs due to Russia’s war in Ukraine, a prolonged drought threatening crops and the ongoing implementation of the EU-funded pandemic recovery program.
While Draghi may still have the support of key allies to continue leading the government, some far-right and right-wing parties are already pushing for snap elections.
“With Draghi’s resignation, this term is over for the Brothers of Italy,” said Georgia Meloni, head of the right-wing party polling about 22%, almost the same as the center-left Democratic Party. “We will fight until the Italian people regain a right that citizens of any other democracy have: the freedom to choose their own representatives.”
Meloni’s usual centre-right allies – the Forza Italia party of ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and the League led by Matteo Salvini – have adopted a wait-and-see attitude.
In a joint statement released on Friday, they supported Draghi for what they believe was his understandable anger and criticized the 5-stars for causing a national crisis through their opposition to a new incinerator for Rome.
“I have no words for it,” said Antonio Tajani of Forza Italia.