Italians are voting today in a snap ballot to elect a new parliament. The country may see its first far-right leader since World War II. The reports describe the likely new Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as the furthest right leader since Mussolini. However, you can’t trust the media.
Meloni said the party is no longer fascist and has become conservative. Italians just want a change from crime and unfettered immigration.
Giorgia Meloni of the Brotherhood of Italy party had been the favorite to emerge victorious in the race to replace Mario Draghi, a former banker, who resigned in July.
Ms. Meloni has been criticized for her anti-abortion and LGBT rights positions and for favoring a blockade of Libya to halt illegal immigration.
A Meloni-led Italy will alarm much of Europe with Russia at war in Ukraine.
She is predicted to win 22-26% of the vote, says a Rai exit poll, ahead of her closest rival Enrico Letta from the center-left.
Several exit polls just published given her right-wing alliance a commanding lead, with 41-45% of the vote.
A major campaign topic in Italy was the rising energy prices. “The right-wing block is talking about decoupling gas and electricity prices and also about self-sufficiency, the move to nuclear energy,” a researcher told DW.
Meloni will be the first female Prime Minister in Italy. Her rise is nothing less than remarkable. It follows Sweden voting in 20.5% of their far-right party into office.
“Long live democracy,” said Matteo Salvini, leader of the League party, one of Meloni’s main allies, as he voted in Milan on Sunday morning.
Italy is expecting a center-right coalition.
Meloni, 45, has pledged to support Western policy on Ukraine and not take undue risks with an economy hit hard by rising prices.
She has to deal with a debt that is 150% of the GDP. That’s where Joe Biden is taking the US.
The media portrays her as faking her new conservative views, but time will soon tell.
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