Giorgia Meloni, whether you love her or not, is a woman making history — the history of Italy, Europe, and the world. She represents the conservative right, is a mother and wife, and is the first woman to govern the Italian Peninsula. The country she leads is in strong and decisive hands, even if her opponents describe her style as “aggressive.” Over the past year, Meloni has gained recognition in the Forbes magazine’s ranking of the World’s Most Powerful Women, placing third, just behind Ursula von der Leyen and Christine Lagarde — the first time a woman from Italy has reached such heights in international rankings.
Additionally, this year, the English newspaper Sunday Times called her “dangerous” and “the most popular leader in Europe.” Her government still grapples with controversies, such as illegal immigration and the tragedy in Cutro, where 79 people died two years ago. Meloni explained that she wants to fight human traffickers, not migrants. In the context of the expulsion of four Tunisian immigrants in March 2023, Italy was deemed by the European Court of Human Rights to be violating the law. Despite these challenges, the popularity of her party, Brothers of Italy, is growing.
Beyond politics, Meloni shows her human side in interviews and her autobiographical book “Meloni. I am Giorgia” (Dębogóra). We learn from it that she has never focused on her appearance, has a logical character, loves to sing, is demanding of her employees, and grew up with a strict mother while having a close relationship with her sister.
In the international context, Giorgia Meloni, as a leader of the center-right coalition, strives to maintain a balance between strong support for Ukraine and close relations with Donald Trump, who has a different approach to the Ukrainian conflict than most European leaders. This situation places her in a difficult position, as she must balance loyalty to American conservatives with the need to maintain Western unity. Recently, Meloni was recognized by Politico as one of the 28 most influential people in Europe, further confirming her dynamic development as a key figure in international politics.
Although previously seen as an extremely nationalistic figure, she has gained a reputation as a negotiator, through whom Brussels and Washington can engage in dialogue. All these achievements make Giorgia Meloni one of the most powerful women in the world today. Her growing popularity and ability to maneuver in the complex world of international politics make her a figure whose fate will significantly impact the future of Italy and Europe.
To get to know this charismatic figure of Italian politics better, our correspondent Joanna Longawa conducted an interview in Rome at Piazza Navona with someone who knows her well and has known her for a long time, namely the Tuscan senator from her party, Achille Totaro. Achille Totaro was born on September 24, 1965, in Florence and currently resides in Scandicci. In 1995, he became a councilor in Florence and Scandicci, and in 1999, he received over 1,300 votes, being re-elected as a city councilor and the chairman of the oversight commission.
In 2000, as a candidate for Alleanza Nazionale, he was elected to the regional parliament with 8,133 votes, working in the Land and Environment Commission and serving as vice-chair of the Labor Commission. In 2005, he was re-elected to the regional parliament with AN and on May 5, 2005, he took the position of secretary of the quesor in the president’s office of the regional council. In 2006, he won a seat in the Senate of the Republic, resigning from his position in the regional council.
Giorgia Meloni is the first woman in Italian history to hold the office of Prime Minister. What qualities has she exhibited to achieve such great success in politics?
Giorgia Meloni is a very determined woman; she has always been that way. I have known her since she was a very young girl. I witnessed her grow up in the right-wing youth movements of Rome and then become the national secretary of the Youth Movement. She has always been a very determined, very honest, and capable woman. I would even describe her as a “nerd.” She’s someone who learns a lot and is well-prepared. She leaves nothing to chance. Italians, in a political landscape full of chaos and people who promise one thing and then do another, believed in her; they believed in her coherence and honesty. This has rewarded her. As a result, the consensus for Giorgia Meloni has steadily increased, ultimately leading to her ascension to the position of head of government.
Did you have a premonition that she would go this far when you first met her?
She had and has a wonderful character; she was and is sincere. In politics, honesty is usually a secondary issue. Not in her case. She has always been very prepared on various topics. Those were certain signs. At that time, I could not imagine she could become Prime Minister. I think even she could not have imagined it. After all, engaging in right-wing politics, as she has done, as I did earlier, and others also did, nothing could be guaranteed back then. Our party had the opportunity to be represented in parliament. We also experienced a right-wing phase when we entered government, but no one expected our leader would one day head that government.
Do you believe Europe should still fear Prime Minister Meloni, as has been commonly said?
Of course not. Meloni is pro-European; she only wants Europe (the EU) to be less bureaucratic (and not talking about the length of zucchinis) and to respect the diversity of individual nations. The European Union should emphasize the specificity of each member country. Together, we all create the history of the world. We have always had the myth of Europe in Italy. We are always talking about Italy in a European context. Our culture, Christianity, is the foundation of European culture. A sense of national belonging cannot be understood as an attempt to isolate Italy or set it against other nations. For us, the defense at the military level also matters. We are now facing war in Europe (after nearly 80 years of peace), which allows us to understand how important it is to have a national army. It would even be better if there were a European army. Young people in Europe feel at home everywhere, whether in Paris, Rome, London, Berlin, or Warsaw; they feel at home. More or less, we all have the same way of life. According to our party and Giorgia Meloni, the EU should develop this sense of belonging by defending shared values, not through dictates and codes.
Why do you think the center-right has triumphed in Italy? Why has it become so popular now?
Because others failed to keep their promises, they did not keep their word, and they were not consistent in their actions. This punished them. Giorgia Meloni was rewarded precisely for her consistency. People seldom analyze politics now; they analyze facts. The center-right has been rewarded for taking a quite straightforward political line, without backtracking and reversing. There may be many arguments as to why we won, but I believe this is fundamental.
Do you agree with the ministerial choices made by Meloni?
Yes, I might change something, but it’s all very subjective. Ministers are chosen through mediation. I trust that Meloni is the Prime Minister. I trust this government as long as she is at its head. I am convinced that under her leadership, even less competent ministers will do everything they can to defend the interests of Italians. Giorgia sees when someone is slacking off and will definitely make that person aware of it, and if that doesn’t work, they will bear their consequences. Giorgia Meloni is a guarantee for our nation. If someone does not fulfill their obligations, I am convinced that she will be the first to tell them. This is an important factor for the security of this government. I hope this government will do everything in its power to improve our country.
What are currently the biggest problems Italy faces? How does the new government plan to solve them?
There are energy problems. There is an economic problem; we have a lot of debt. The problems are always the same. There is often a lack of purchasing power for citizens; we have very high taxes that need to pay off public debt, so any attempt to reduce them will not be easy; it will be a very tough undertaking. On one hand, there is a huge public debt, as I said, and on the other, huge taxes. One monthly paycheck pays 50% in taxes; it’s absurd, but it’s been this way for many years. If we can reverse this trend, that will be a positive factor. There is also a problem with the labor market, as is the case in all Western countries. I am convinced that something will change in these matters under our government, regarding issues such as: taxes, the economy, citizens’ purchasing power, citizens’ security, fighting crime, and respecting the law. Democracy and human freedom begin with the freedom of movement. There are societies in the world where there is great crime, and people are not truly free, cannot go out at night or travel peacefully. If you do not have freedom, you have nothing. Citizens’ security is an important factor. The center-right will act and is acting to solve these problems; they will fight and are already fighting against crime and violence against women and the most vulnerable people.
By Joanna Longawa
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