© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomes European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Chigi Palace, in Rome, Italy, January 9, 2023. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo
By Crispian Balmer
ROME (Reuters) – Before Italian President Giorgia Meloni won power in September, German magazine Stern put her on its cover with the headline: “Europe’s most dangerous woman”.
This was such a concern that the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen issued a vague threat that she has “weapons” to deal with Italy if it abandons the democratic process.
But nearly 100 days after Meloni took office at the head of Italy’s most right-wing government since World War II, those worries are over.
Despite his neo-fascist political roots and often alarmist rhetoric, Meloni has chosen to remain cautious in domestic and foreign conflicts, to strengthen the status quo rather than create conflict or economic crisis, and to carry out major reforms.
“We have seen a big change,” said Sofia Ventura, professor of political science at the University of Bologna.
“He has been more moderate in his comments than in his criticism and has clearly understood that he needs to change his profile in order to become a credible world leader.”
Friend and foe alike say the main reason for the soft approach is money – or rather the lack of it.
At around 150% of GDP, Italy has the third largest pile of public debt in the developed world after Japan and Greece, and the huge downfall of Liz Truss, who resigned as British prime minister just two days before Meloni took office, revealed the danger of it. across financial markets.
What happened in the UK shows…
MONEY REQUIRED
Adding to Meloni’s woes is Italy’s dependence on the European Union’s bailout fund. Under the plan, Rome is to receive 190 billion euros ($206 billion) in aid and loans as long as it implements a series of reforms agreed to by the previous administration led by Mario Draghi.
Desperate to avoid any conflict, Meloni’s first trip abroad after becoming prime minister was to meet with von der Leyen in Brussels, to assure him that Italy would fulfill his wishes, even if he doubted the reasons behind his decision.
“It would have been impossible for Meloni to risk losing this money. Failure would have been dangerous,” said Daniele Albertazzi, professor of politics at the University of Surrey. He said: “He did things as best he could.”
His only meeting with a European leader came three weeks into the project, when French President Emmanuel Macron criticized Italy for refusing to allow a rescue ship carrying more than 200 people to reach its ports. Instead the ship went to France.
A government official in Rome said the conflict started due to a misunderstanding. The Meloni PR team thought that Macron had agreed to board the train and sent a message of thanks. In fact, he had never heard of it and felt that Rome was trying to confuse him, the source said.
The two have since reformed, officials said.
The EU ambassador, who declined to be named, said Meloni, who has previously criticized aggressive euroscepticism, did not want to find his footing in Europe and was wise.
The same warning has appeared at home.
LONG INSTRUCTIONS
His contract did not show any major changes and his first limited budget ignored many expensive promises. The government also scrapped the existing tax exemption on fuel from March 2022, although it promised to abolish the tax altogether.
Meanwhile, Italians have praised Meloni’s wisdom, with the support of his Italian Brothers party rising above 30% of the vote against 26% in September’s elections – triple the support of his League allies and Forza Italia. drawing.
In a country in political turmoil, the three ruling parties have avoided major clashes and are forecast to rule together for a full five years – the only time since World War II.
Supporters say this means they can take their time in transition, such as forming a government as president.
“We have been working for five years without worrying about immediate results,” Giovanni Donzelli, head of the Brothers of Italy, told Reuters.
Behind the scenes some changes are visible, with the right-wing bloc starting to put those who put them in the main positions, while the planned reform of the Treasury will give Meloni and his friends more power to create government-controlled institutions.
But Meloni’s control over his friends, who usually lead a conservative group, can cause conflicts, the League and Forza Italia are unlikely to accept playing as a junior partner for a long time.
At the heart of the disagreement is the League’s push to give its northern territories autonomy, including more on how their taxes are spent. Such a change is not appreciated by the Italian Brothers, who fear that it could hurt the hearts of voters in the central and southern regions.
“Regional independence will bring many problems to Meloni. It is a very difficult cycle,” said Albertazzi.
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