Meloni's potentially key role in Europe's future

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party could play a key role in the formation of the new European parliament in upcoming elections.

‌The latest polls predict her party could obtain 27 percent of the vote, a one percent increase on their total in Italy's general election of 2022.

‌Meloni was greeted by thousands of supporters at her final EU election rally in the capital, echoing a right-wing sentiment that looks to be on the rise across Europe.‌

‌"We must try to make an imprint of the right in Europe and completely change the system," voter Alessio Michelucci told CGTN.

For her part, ‌Sara Coppini said that Italians "can't just be happy but also proud of the politics and economy of Giorgia Meloni."

‌Yet some aspects of the economy are not a source of national pride.

‌Despite the country's post-pandemic recovery, official data shows a record number of Italians were living in absolute poverty in 2023.‌

Cristina Freguja, Director of Social and Welfare Statistics at the National Institute of Statistics, told CGTN of the severity of the problem. 

‌She said: "Italy, unfortunately, is above the European average when it comes to absolute poverty, alongside Greece, Spain, Lithuania and other countries. One of the big social problems is the female unemployment rate, because our country is maybe in last place in Europe." 

‌Nonna Roma is among the charities on the frontline, providing essentials such as food, clothing, and emergency housing in the capital.

‌Margherita Venditti, one of the organization's founders, said many factors were involved.

‌"People come to us for food because it is a primary need and then speaking to them, you realize the situation is more complex, so we expanded the project to distribute school materials and to offer legal advice to help them find work," said Venditti. ‌

Migration has been a key issue during Meloni's year and a half in office, and she's worked closely with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to reduce the flow of boats across the Mediterranean.

‌Head of the opposition Democratic Party, Elly Schlein, said the government's policies stifle human rights and further marginalize minority groups. Schlein's campaign has focused on social and climate justice.

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But even her critics say Meloni has positioned her cards well, playing far-right politics at home while taking a pro-European stance in Brussels.

‌If her party is successful, she could be a key figure in deciding whether Ursula Von Der Leyen stays in the top job.

‌Nicola Lupo, Professor of Public Law at Rome's Luiss University, told CGTN that there are many scenarios that could play out.

‌"Especially on the right-wing side of the European parliament, everything could happen, there is a lot of movement, and the international alliance will matter in the formation of the new parliamentary groups," said Lupo.

‌Against the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine and the war in Gaza, the stakes are high and Italy's Prime Minister looks set to play a central part in the bloc's future.

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