Meloni’s Italy and the Illusion of Change
By Margaux Baudry, reading time 2min30s
While the rest of Europe watches each election anxiously, wondering if this will be the one that brings a far-right victory, Italy crossed that threshold three years ago. As the country celebrates this anniversary with Giorgia Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) leading the government, it’s worth asking: Did Italians truly get the transformation they were promised, or merely a new face preserving the same old system?
What’s Wrong with the Status Quo?
Ah, Italy: the sun, the cuisine, the beautiful historic cities… and also demographic decline, high energy costs, brain drain, heavy taxes, low wages, and falling industrial production.
In a country desperate for structural reform, one might expect the popularity of its leader to depend on tackling these fundamental issues. Yet, much of Meloni’s term has been defined by embracing the status quo rather than changing it. No structural changes has been made whatsoever! Whether it stems from a severe lack of ambition or a search for steady leadership to protect her likability, it has surely served to enhance her popularity… According to Reuters, Meloni’s approval rating stands at 42%, well ahead of Friedrich Merz’s or Emmanuel Macron’s.
The “Changes” That Changed Little
The transformations Italy has witnessed under Meloni’s term are mostly superficial. Where the unemployment rate has dropped from 7.8% in October 2022 to 6.0% in May 2025 (the lowest in 10 years!), the number of stable jobs has not increased. Indeed, many workers are dependent on part-time, precarious jobs in sectors with weak productivity.
Moreover, Italy received €194 billion worth of grants and loans from the EU’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). Yet, the money was poorly invested,serving mainly as a lifeline for the government and as the main driver of recent growth. When the NRRP funds run out in 2026, Italy’s true economic resilience and Meloni’s governing capacity will be put to the test.
Far Right or Center Right?
Given Italy’s current image of stability and prosperity, especially compared to some of its neighbors, one might wonder: Is the far right the solution?
In truth, it is Meloni who has “shifted” to the center, bringing her Fratelli D’Italia closer to what the Partito Democratico Cristiano (Christian Democrats) was. Once in power, she faced the realities of governance, namely, dealing with the parties in her coalition and prioritizing the current necessities over her ambitions.
Meloni and Europe
In the past five months, Fratelli d’Italia has voted for many pro-European and centrist measures in the European Parliament. For example, the rearmament plan and the €50 billion to Ukraine. This centrist shift brings peace to the rest of Europe, which had feared a major Western European country falling under far-right leadership.
A Final Reflection
A final question remains: has Meloni actually shifted to the center? Or has she simply done nothing? Linkiesta argues that Meloni’s term has been uneventful rather than centrist. In comparison, the Partito Democratico Cristiano, although imperfect, left a mark. The journal also notes that Meloni has never denied the allegations or called herself an “anti-fascist”. How’s that for centrism?
