Victory for the “Hard Right” in Italy
Giorgia Meloni posed with a sign thanking Italian voters for their support after preliminary polling was released [Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters]
Author: Anna Maloney
Background
This past Sunday, Italy’s right wing alliance won the general election. With the country poised to have its first female prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, it is also projected to have the most right-wing government since the second world war. For many across the continent and the rest of the world, this breakthrough for Europe’s “Hard Right” raises concerns. Running on a staunchly anti-immigrant platform the Brothers of Italy party, which is led by Meloni, formed a right-wing coalition with the League and former PM Berlusconi’s Forza Italia, though the league and forza italia both received less than 10% of the vote. Unlike the left and center coalitions, which failed to center themselves around a sole candidate, Meloni and the Brothers of Italy were the clear leaders of the right-wing coalition. The election cycle was marred in part by historically low voter turnout, as fewer than 65% of the eligible populace cast their ballots. In the past, Meloni has held an anti-EU stance, and although she has recently voiced support for Ukraine, her allies have closer ties to Russia. She has also voiced opposition to the LGBTQ+ community and the right of women to have an abortion. The Brothers of Italy party, which she heads, was rooted politically in the Italian Social Movement (MSI) and fascism.
Global Response
With a history of anti-EU rhetoric, and nationalistic sentiments, Meloni’s rise to power follows that of Viktor Orban in Hungary and party leader Marine le Pen in France. Both politicians have expressed their support of Meloni, with Le Pen bashing the EU and urging Meloni to “join the National rally.” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawieki’s right of center party is also facing an election, and Morawiecki also expressed congratulations through social media. The French Premier, Elisabeth Borne, noted that France would be working to ensure that human rights and the right to abortions, remained protected in Italy. The EU Commission President, Ursula Von Der Leyen, also expressed warnings about possible undemocratic policy from the right-wing coalition and Meloni.
U.S. Response
As Italy has long been a supportive member of NATO and the EU, the United States and the Biden Administration approached the election of Meloni with congratulation and caution. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken noted on Twitter that the US looked forward to working with Italy’s government to “support a free and independent Ukraine” while “respecting human rights.” The emphasis on human rights which was shared in both Blinken’s response and that of French Premier Elizabeth Borne, suggests a shared concern for the string of nationalistic leaders which have recently been rising to power across Europe. With immigration concerns and inflation, there has been a rise of anti EU and anti immigration parties and populace support.
Looking Ahead
As the Biden Administration remains in power in the United States, the US may come into political stress with right wing and nationalistic governments in Europe. Though the opposition to War in Ukraine would be a uniting factor between Meloni’s Italian government and the Biden Administration, her presence as the Italian prime minister is likely to weaken the EU. The western coalition of democratic nations on the European continent has been, for decades, a source of close allies to the United States. With Orban having held power in Hungary for a while, Macron’s near loss to Marine le Pen (to the closest margin in years, though he did manage to prevail and become reelected in France) and Sweden’s far right Sweden Democrats having emerged empowered from their general election, this continental political movement is likely to weaken western agreements and struggle to find greater common ground.
