Meloni (and Italy) two years later #finsubito prestito immediato

What has changed since that 22 October 2022 that marked for Italy the premiership of the first woman premier (and right-wing) in the history of Italy? And what can change between now and 2027?

Nobody has a magic wand in their hand, nor a crystal ball, but a number of objective considerations can probably be lined up.

First, Italy regained an international centrality that it had lost with both the Pd governments and especially the M5s governments, which had dangerously cast doubt on Italy’s traditional place in its western alliances.

The issue of immigration is now recognised as a common emergency and no longer as a burden to be carried by only one country or those of first arrival under a treaty that is, in fact, unfair.

The ultra-ideological energy transition initiated by Timmersman, which delivers the EU into the hands of China’s batteries, is now unanimously recognised as dangerous (after the first warnings advanced only by the Italian right) if it is not accompanied by an overall strategy that evens out the blows of changes that are too rapid not to impact workers and businesses.

The Meloni government’s attention to Africa is structured, planned and not occasional, as demonstrated by the Mattei Plan, appreciated by many international players such as the EU and the US, and intertwined with European difficulties in those latitudes and the French decision to leave the Sahel.

The Italian government is currently the most stable in Europe: France is now starting the Barnier experiment, after Macron lost the elections: Germany is heading into the sunset of the Scholz era to return to Cdu leadership; Spain is led by someone who did not win in the polls. Not forgetting the American elections that will take place in a few days.

Second, the stop to the endless tap of the super bonus made it possible, on the one hand, to close an insane chasm that will in any case impact on the room for manoeuvre, but on the other, to implement targeted and fairer initiatives such as the revaluation of minimum pensions above the level of inflation, the increase in contractual salaries, the detaxation of performance bonuses and fringe benefits, support for families in difficulty with the ‘Dedicated to You’ card and AGEA purchases, and the strengthening of the powers of the Price Supervisor.

The prime minister’s decision to initiate three rigorous manoeuvres without jerks is a sign of political maturity, a fact that should be re-read by those who, before the 2022 elections, waved the Troika risk for Italy.

Industry has been strengthened by a vision and not by spot measures: 29,000 companies have been facilitated with the Nuova Sabatini; the critical raw materials DL has been approved to monitor supply chains and increase the supply of raw materials; the Space Economy Fund has been created and allocations for projects with the European Space Agency have been relaunched; the PGI recognition system for craft and industrial products has been implemented; and the Plan for the Sea has been adopted to relaunch the so-called blue economy.

Third, the Meloni Uno government has tried to give a medium-long term perspective that will remain available to the country’s system with the premierate reform: no more bathing governments that last the space of a dodecamino, but stable executives both so as not to mortify the citizens’ vote and to give depth and stability to a country that is thus more attractive to investors. And the success of the Treasury bonds amply demonstrates this, with requests for over 200 billion for 7- and 30-year bonds.

The attention of the world’s biggest giants for Italy and the government is a fact, not an invention of some conservative newspaper.

Fourthly, the role of the premier, conducted with hard work, dedication and without shadows. Much remains to be done and nothing that has been done is physiologically perfectible. But this two-year period proves that a government led by a conservative right-wing and an authoritative premier is able to steer the ship Italy at its best, amidst international storms and internal boycotts.