This is a historic right-wing victory for Italy. This September 25, the nationalist Fratelli d’Italia party of Giorgia Meloni won more than 26% of the votes cast in the Italian legislative elections, and with the alliance of the rights to which it belongs obtains, it collects more than 44% of the votes. , i.e. a clear and distinct majority, both in the Chamber of Deputies and in the Senate. A slap in the face for the European Commission, which did not fail to arouse disappointment within the government and the French media, also causing the political class to react.
Qui est Giorgia Meloni?
Her flash rise displeases the Italian left, but the young woman has strong convictions. ” I’m a woman ! I’m Italian ! I am Christian ! No one will take it away from me! », she exclaimed at a rally in Rome in 2019. After the formation of the radical right-wing political party Fratelli d’Italia in 2012, following a split between the People of Freedom and the former party the national, Giorgia Meloni took the reins of the party in 2014. Four years later, in 2018, Fratelli d’Italia won only 4% of the vote. But in 2020, as France Info reports, she was among the “twenty rising stars” of Italy, so much appreciated by the media for her sense of repartee and her charismatic personality. Then, on September 25, his Fratelli d’Italia party won nearly a quarter of the vote.
“We will govern for all Italians”, assured Giorgia Meloni shortly after his victory in the legislative elections. After the fall of Mario Draghi’s government last July, the alliance of the rights was formed in advance. Alongside Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia and Matteo Salvini’s League, the right-wing coalition won nearly 45% of the vote. This victory places Giorgia Meloni in a leading position; historically, the Roman could well become the first woman to lead Italy.
Qualified as a eurosceptic throughout her electoral campaign, Giorgia Meloni has, however, never explicitly declared that she wants an Italexit. This does not prevent him from making known his strong opposition to the Brussels bureaucracy, affirming his desire to free himself from certain European directives. Will it be able to do so within the framework of the European treaties?
On the other hand, Giorgia Meloni stands out for her conservatism: she says she is opposed to “LGBT lobbies” and defends family values. At the national level, the head of Fratelli d’Italia promises to fight against immigration and insecurity. In a June speech to supporters of Spain’s far-right Vox party, she said: “Yes to the natural family, no to the LGBT lobby! Yes to sexual identity, no to gender ideology! Yes to the culture of life, no to the abyss of death! Yes to the universal values of the Cross, no to Islamist violence! Yes to secure borders, no to mass immigration! Yes to the work of our citizens, no to big international finance! Yes to the sovereignty of the people, no to the bureaucracy of Brussels! Yes to our civilization, no to those who want to destroy it! » (France Blue).
Faced with the rise of right-wing parties, Brussels is concerned
This victory for the Italian right comes shortly after that of the conservative bloc of the Democrats of Sweden. The electoral breakthrough in Sweden and the rise of the right to power in Italy, following successive crises and the fall of the Draghi government, risk heightening tensions within the EU. Indeed, these nationalist advances worry the European institutions and reflect the weariness of the European peoples.
See also: Resignation of Mario Draghi in Italy: a domino effect?
The recent outing of Ursula von der Leyen, about the attack on the democratic principles of the EU by Poland and Hungary, has been commented on the web. During a speech at Princeton University in the United States, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen hammered home on September 23: “We will see the result of the vote in Italy, there were also elections in Sweden. If things go in a difficult direction, we have tools, as in the case of Poland and Hungary”.
Unelected official Ursula von der Leyen of the European Union, openly warns that if Italy votes for someone they disagree with, they will sanction Italy.
So democratic, so tolerant.pic.twitter.com/G6pu1kO5HT
— Lewis Brackpool (@Lewis_Brackpool) September 23, 2022
The words of the head of the European Commission have angered some Italian politicians. Furious, the leader of the League Matteo Salvini has reacted on Twitter : “What is a threat?” Shameful arrogance. Respect the free, democratic and sovereign vote of the Italian people! Friends of all, valets of no one”. He then told the daily Corriere della Serra: “Either she apologizes or she resigns.”
The record of the union of the rights to Italian power has however been applauded by some Eastern European states. Poland and Hungary wanted to congratulate Giorgia Meloni. Hungarian Head of State Viktor Orban said: “We need friends more than ever who share a common vision and approach to Europe” (The Parisian). For his part, the leader of the radical right-wing Spanish party Vox, Santiago Abascal, was also delighted with the result of the Italian election. According to him, the leader of Fratelli d’Italia “showed the way to a proud and free Europe of sovereign nations”.
And in France… ?
This victory of the alliance of the Italian rights did not fail to make the media class react, but also the French political class, on the right as on the left.
In an editorial, the newspaper Le Monde sees in the victory of the alliance of rights “a threat to Europe, after the successes of the Democrats of Sweden and the RN in the general elections ». BFM TV writes that “Giorgia Meloni is preparing to settle post-fascism ». As for Liberation, its front page is titled “Fascism in Europe: all fears lead to Rome”.
In the light of @libe this Tuesday :
???????? Fascism in Europe: all fears lead to Rome https://t.co/nj2k4mQp7h pic.twitter.com/8WOaCQ96n9
— Liberation (@libe) September 26, 2022
According to Bernard-Henri Lévy, when asked about the prospect of an election for Meloni, “You don’t always have to respect the voters” when their choice “is not respectable”. Following his election, Jacques Attali, known for his historic commitment to the Socialist Party, expressed his concerns on Twitter, calling for governments to wake up:
In France too, the extreme right is at the gates of power: what is happening today in Rome will happen in Paris in four years if the governing parties do not wake up to prepare serious and convincing programs.
— Jacques Attali (@jattali) September 25, 2022
On the political side, the National Rally, through the voice of its MEP Jordan Bardella, wished to send its congratulations to Giorgia Meloni:
The Italians offered a lesson in humility to the European Union which, through the voice of Mrs Von Der Leyen, claimed to dictate their vote.
No threat of any kind can stop democracy: the peoples of Europe raise their heads and take their destiny into their own hands!
– Jordan Bardella (@J_Bardella) September 25, 2022
For her part, Marine Le Pen hailed an Italian people who “decided to take his destiny into his own hands” :
The Italian people have decided to take their destiny into their own hands by electing a patriotic and sovereignist government.
Congratulations to @GiorgiaMeloni and to @matteosalvinimi for having resisted the threats of an anti-democratic and arrogant European Union by obtaining this great victory!
– Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) September 26, 2022
Through a statement posted on Twitterthe president of Reconquest Eric Zemmour said: “Congratulations to Giorgia Meloni and the Italian people! How not to look at this victory as proof that yes, coming to power is possible? “.
“Good news for the defense of our civilization”, commented on Twitter Marion Maréchal, putting a photo where we can see her alongside the Italian politician.
She knew how to hold on, she knew how to unite: bravo @GiorgiaMeloni for this historic victory. Good news for the defense of our civilization! ???????? #Italy pic.twitter.com/b3yEAzmf8c
— Marion Marshal (@MarionMarechal) September 26, 2022
This victory for the right in Italy does not please the French left, however. France’s Insoumise MEP Manon Aubry strongly criticized this “neo-fascism” at the gates of Europe.
Terrible!
Neo-fascism is coming to our doorstep with Meloni’s victory in Italy.
The rise of reactionary, xenophobic & authoritarian poison is confirmed everywhere in Europe.
The alert is serious: we need to build a left-wing alternative as an antidote
— Manon Aubry (@ManonAubryFr) September 25, 2022
Her colleague Clémentine Autain (LFI MP) regretted the rise to power of the “Heirs of Mussolini”.
Tragic.
Mussolini’s heirs take power in Italy.
Neoliberal policies and the disappearance of the left have made this possible.Here we held on. Now let’s win the sprint against the RN. Tonight, solidarity with all Italian progressives.
— Clementine Autain (@Clem_Autain) September 25, 2022
Same fear for the French Communist Party: the former presidential candidate Fabien Roussel has lamented on Twitter the near-victory of the “Italian Fascist Right”. A “catastrophe which must cause a surge to the left in Europe”according to him.
Pour Sandrine RousseauEELV deputy within the Nupes, “the wolves have entered Italy”.
In any case, the French executive says to itself “attentive” au “respect for human rights and the right to abortion” following the victory of the Italian right-wing coalition. At the microphone of BFMTV, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne reacted: “Of course, we will be attentive, (with) the President of the European Commission (Ursula von der Leyen), that these values on human rights, on respect for each other, in particular respect for the right to abortion, are respected by all. » However, the Minister felt that it “you shouldn’t skip the steps”and that he “It is up to the President of the Republic (Sergio Mattarella) to appoint the President or the President of the Council” Italy.