Giorgia Meloni Set to Become Italy’s Longest-Serving Government Leader

She has benefited from a solid coalition, a fragmented opposition and a pragmatic international profile.

On Friday, the government of far-right Giorgia Meloni will become the longest-serving Italian government, with 1,413 consecutive days in power.

She has been at the helm of the Italian state since October 2022, surpassing the record of Silvio Berlusconi during his second term (2001-2005).

However, “Il Cavaliere” retains the record for the Italian leader who has spent the most time in the office of prime minister: nine years, but spread across four terms.

The following are some of the factors that have influenced and will influence Meloni’s stay in power:

1) Solid Coalition

After her party, Brothers of Italy, won the 2022 election with 26% of the vote, Meloni formed a center-right coalition with Berlusconi’s Forza Italia and Matteo Salvini’s League. This alliance has functioned cohesively and in favor of Meloni because of the progressive weakening and internal tensions of her partners.

2) Fragmented Opposition

Much of the tranquility of Meloni’s tenure is due to the lack of a strong alternative on the left. The opposition has not overcome its divisions and still has not reached an agreement on a common platform and leadership formula for the next elections.

The opposition does not appear to be capitalizing on the government’s mistakes: The latest polls show Elly Schlein’s Democratic Party — the main opposition leader — with slow growth, but support has not reached 22%; the Five Star Movement is trending downward (12.5%), and the Green Alliance has 6.6%.

3) Charisma and Pragmatism

“I am Giorgia, I am a woman, a mother, Italian and Christian,” Meloni said in 2019 in a phrase that was remastered with electronic music.

Her charisma has been one of the best weapons of a politician formed in the post-fascist movement who, upon coming to power, has moved toward moderation, pragmatism and institutionalism. Discursive toughness, spontaneity, personalization of the political message and an ability to connect are some of her characteristics.

UPDATE: In a jaw-dropping speech, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni issued a harsh wake-up call to European Union elites by saying, “We either take our destiny into our own hands with vision, courage and responsibility — or we will simply endure our own decline.” pic.twitter.com/j49l1G9XA1

— Tironianae Z. – Ultra Verbum Vincet (@Tironianae) September 3, 2026

4) Some Policy Achievements

Meloni touts economic achievements such as growth above or in line with Europe, stable public finances and job creation. The opposition criticizes her for a policy of cuts and a lack of investment in public services such as health care and education, and accuses her of governing for the wealthy.

5) International Visibility

Meloni boasts of having elevated Italy’s international role: She has kept the country aligned with Europe, NATO and support for Ukraine and has sought to strengthen its profile in Brussels and the Group of Seven (G7).

At one point, she became an important European ally of President Donald Trump, but their relationship has cooled following several clashes over U.S. war on Iran.

6) Inflexible Approach to Migration

A hard-line approach to migration is one of Meloni’s banners. Strengthening borders, fighting irregular immigration and traffickers, rapid repatriations and outsourcing to third countries have been central to a policy aligned with her electorate. But she has clashed with the judiciary and sparked tensions, such as the recent standoff with Spain over the Ceuta crisis.

7) Failure of Judicial Reform

One of Meloni’s major failures was her defeat in the referendum on judicial reform, a flagship project of her program. Criticized by the judiciary and the opposition, her reform sought to separate the careers of judges and prosecutors, divide the Council of the Magistracy and establish a lottery to select magistrates.

Donald Trump: “Iran could have destroyed Italy with nuclear weapons in three minutes if it wanted to.”

Giorgia Meloni: “There are nine countries in the world that possess nuclear weapons, and the only country to have used them is the United States.” pic.twitter.com/z7cvgmNcnf

— PRO (@PRO_X_313) August 8, 2026

8) Neither Major Projects Nor Major Reforms

Among the projects that have also fallen by the wayside is the pharaonic bridge over the Strait of Messina to connect the island of Sicily with the Italian peninsula. Presented as strategic, the project is blocked by judicial and administrative obstacles and has been criticized for its high cost and environmental impact. The health care reform to address waiting lists and the north-south imbalance is also stalled.

9) Another Far-Right Force Threatens Her Power

Meloni’s government reaches its record one year before the elections and with a dark cloud on the horizon: the emergence of former Gen. Roberto Vannacci and his new far-right party, which is rapidly rising in the polls and positioning itself above Salvini’s League.

10) Controversial Electoral Reform

Among the challenges Meloni faces is reforming the electoral law to promote government stability. She proposes a majority “bonus” in seats for the list or coalition that receives around 40%-42% of the vote. Another point under discussion is a possible runoff if the coalitions competing do not reach certain thresholds of support.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.