Italy Meloni Cabinet to Face Confidence Vote in Parliament on 25-26

Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy [Photo by AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] Confidence votes on the new Italian cabinet led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will be held in the Italian Chamber of Deputies and Senate on the 25th and 26th (local time).

Meloni is the first far-right party prime minister in 100 years since Benito Mussolini, the dictator who led Italy during World War II. Concerns were raised that Meloni could trigger divisions within the European Union (EU), but she has shown an unexpected approach by appointing pro-EU figures to key positions.

Prime Minister Meloni appointed pro-EU figures as the new Minister of Finance and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Giancarlo Giorgetti, the new Minister of Finance, previously served as Minister of Economic Development in the cabinet of former Prime Minister Mario Draghi. This clearly indicates that Meloni’s next cabinet will continue Draghi’s economic policies.

Antonio Tajani, appointed as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, is a former President of the European Parliament and is considered a leading pro-EU politician in Italy. He recently drew attention by taking a stance opposite to Silvio Berlusconi, leader of Forza Italia (FI), regarding the scandal involving Berlusconi’s leaked recordings. While Berlusconi’s recordings contained content defending Russian President Vladimir Putin, Tajani stated that FI supports Ukraine and described "Ukrainians as heroes who have not succumbed to the horrors of war."

As his first official act, Foreign Minister Tajani called the Ukrainian Foreign Minister to clearly affirm that the new government will continue its support for Ukraine.

After the release of Berlusconi’s recordings, Prime Minister Meloni issued a statement drawing a clear line from Berlusconi by affirming that Italy is a definite member of the EU and NATO.

Responding to a congratulatory tweet from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on her appointment, Meloni wrote, "I am ready to work with NATO," adding, "NATO is more than a military alliance; it is a bulwark defending shared values that we will never give up." In reply to a congratulatory tweet from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, she said, "The United States and all NATO partners can trust that we will do our best to support the brave people of Ukraine and strengthen our strategic partnership."

From Meloni’s perspective, public opinion cannot be ignored. The majority of Italian voters support European integration and condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Cooperation with the EU is also necessary to receive financial support from the EU. Italy is set to receive 191.5 billion euros (approximately 264 trillion won) in COVID-19 recovery funds from the EU by 2026. With 70 billion euros already received during Draghi’s tenure, Meloni must cooperate with the EU to ensure the remaining funds are delivered smoothly.

However, since the COVID-19 recovery funds are limited to uses such as green transition, digitalization promotion, and infrastructure development, there is concern that conflicts may arise if Meloni requests changes in fund usage citing the energy crisis.

While Meloni has adopted a pragmatic approach in economic and foreign policies, she clearly expresses her own stance on traditional Christian and family values.

A representative example is her appointment of Eugenia Maria Roccella as Minister of Family, who in the past described abortion as "the dark side of motherhood." Roccella, known as a devout Catholic, was a leading politician opposing same-sex marriage legislation in 2018. Concerns remain that Meloni will pursue anti-immigration and anti-refugee policies and discriminate against sexual minorities.

Before the confidence vote on the new cabinet in parliament on the 25th, Prime Minister Meloni is scheduled to deliver a speech outlining her government’s policy plans.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.