Italian General Election, Right-Wing Coalition Expected to Secure Majority in Both Chambers... Meloni Likely to Become First Female Prime Minister (Update)

Giorgia Meloni, leader of Brothers of Italy (FdI)
Photo by AFP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] In the Italian general election held on the 25th (local time), the far-right party Brothers of Italy (FdI) is expected to take first place. According to exit polls, the right-wing coalition centered on FdI is expected to secure a majority in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, and FdI leader Giorgia Meloni is highly likely to become Italy's first female prime minister.

According to the local daily La Stampa, exit polls estimate FdI's vote share at 22-26%. The Democratic Party (PD) and the Five Star Movement are expected to follow with vote shares of 17-21% and 13.5-17.5%, respectively.

The League (Lega), expected to form a coalition with FdI, is projected to receive 8.5-12.5% of the vote, while Forza Italia (FI) is expected to get 6.5-8.5%.

The right-wing coalition is expected to secure a majority in both houses of parliament.

In the 400-seat Chamber of Deputies, the right-wing coalition is expected to win 227-257 seats. In the 200-seat Senate, the coalition is expected to secure at least 111 seats, surpassing the majority. The right-wing coalition is projected to hold up to 131 seats in the Senate.

If the results follow the exit polls, Giorgia Meloni, leader of FdI, which is likely to become the largest party in parliament, is highly likely to become Italy's first female prime minister. FdI, Lega, and FI have previously agreed that the party with the most votes will have the right to nominate the prime minister candidate.

Meloni will become the first far-right leader to take power since dictator Benito Mussolini. She opposes LGBT rights, calls for a complete halt to the influx of African refugees, and opposes Muslim immigration. She has pledged to abolish the "citizen's income," a basic income policy introduced by the Five Star Movement in 2019.

The right-wing coalition has also promised to expand public spending and implement significant tax cuts. With Italy's government debt ratio already exceeding 150% of GDP, concerns are growing that the country's fiscal crisis may become more apparent under the right-wing government. Meloni has stated that she will adhere to the EU's fiscal rules even if bold fiscal spending is undertaken.

Regarding the Ukraine war, Meloni criticizes Russia's invasion of Ukraine and President Putin. She advocates strengthening solidarity with NATO and providing weapons support to Ukraine.

However, both Matteo Salvini, leader of Lega, and Silvio Berlusconi, leader of FI, who will form the government with her, are pro-Russian figures suspected of having ties with Russia.