Right-wing parties have been scrambling for ministerial posts in Italy’s new cabinet since the end of September. Now it’s clear: In the Mediterranean country, the right now have the say – and Giorgia Meloni made history with her swearing-in as head of government.
Giorgia Meloni is the first woman in Italy’s history to be sworn in as head of government. The party leader of the far-right Fratelli d’Italia took the oath on Saturday morning before Head of State Sergio Mattarella. The men and women of her cabinet were also sworn in at the Quirinale Palace in Rome. In future, Italy will be governed by a right-wing government consisting of the Fratelli, the conservative Forza Italia led by ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Matteo Salvini’s right-wing populist Lega.
A handover between the new head of government Meloni and her predecessor Mario Draghi is planned for Sunday in the Palazzo Chigi, and the Council of Ministers will meet for the first time. The cabinet of the 45-year-old Roman woman then needs confirmation by a vote of confidence in the two chambers of parliament, which observers say could happen early next week. The right-wing alliance has had an absolute majority in parliament since the September 25 election, which is why voting for the new government should not be a major hurdle.
Meloni emerged as the clear winner in the parliamentary elections in September with her Fratelli with 26 percent of the vote. The far-right with fascist roots was previously just a small opposition party in parliament. Under the new right-wing government, Italy’s stance on migration is likely to become more hostile. The alliance also emphasized that it wanted to do more for Italy’s interests. Meloni’s stance on the EU was already causing concern in Europe. She recently declared that Italy will remain fully part of Europe and the Atlantic Alliance.
Recently, Meloni was apparently in a hurry: On Friday morning, the legal alliance was invited to government consultations at Mattarella. A few hours later, Meloni came to him again, presented a cabinet draft and accepted the task of forming a government. In the days before, the parties in their alliance had been arguing about the occupation of some ministries. This was also overshadowed by pro-Putin statements by the 86-year-old Berlusconi.
In the new cabinet, the Fratelli have the most ministers, with nine posts. Lega and Forza Italia received five each. Foreign Minister and Meloni’s deputy will be EU politician Antonio Tajani (Forza Italia). Lega boss Salvini is also deputy prime minister and had to be satisfied with the infrastructure ministry. First, he claimed the Interior Ministry, which he headed in 2018 in the Conte government with a tough anti-migration policy. The interior minister is now the prefect of Rome, Matteo Piantedosi – one of five independent experts in the cabinet.
The hard-fought post in the Justice Department went to Fratelli and ex-prosecutor Carlo Nordio. Berlusconi had long struggled to have his confidant Maria Elisabetta Casellati appointed there. She will now become Minister for Reform. Lega politician Giancarlo Giorgetti takes over the important ministry of finance. Fratelli co-founder Guido Crosetto, who was previously criticized for possible conflicts of interest as an entrepreneur in the defense industry, will become defense minister. On Friday he declared that he had already left the management role at every private company.