"Historical victory" was the headline on the portal "Corriere della Sera", one of the leading newspapers in Italy, after the results of the parliamentary elections in which the right-wing coalition won.
The result is somewhat historic because the door is open for the education of Italy's first hard-right government after the Second World War, and it should be headed by the leader of the "Brothers of Italy" party, Đorđa Meloni, who would become the first woman to head the Italian government.
According to the almost final results, the right-wing bloc, which also includes Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia and the anti-immigrant League led by Matteo Salvini, should have a majority in both houses of parliament, which, according to Reuters, could potentially end years of political turmoil and unstable coalitions.
However, even before the victory of the right, there were discussions about the dangers it represents for Italy and Europe, especially if you consider that it is the latest in a series of successes of the European right after the victory of the anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats and the progress made by the National Gathering party in June France.
Meloni comes from a branch of the neo-fascist party that erected a monument to Italy's worst war criminal, the man responsible for the genocide. She prefers to communicate with Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán than with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz or French President Emmanuel Macron.
The first in Europe to congratulate Meloni's victory were the right-wing opposition parties in Spain and France, as well as the conservative governments of Poland and Hungary, both of which have strained relations with Brussels.
As reported by Reuters, a restrained message arrived from the European Commission. "The Commission and President Ursula von der Leyen cooperate with the governments that are the result of the elections in the European Union countries. It will be the same in this case. Of course, we hope for constructive cooperation with the new Italian authorities," said EC spokesman Eric Manner.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced on Twitter that the US "looks forward to working with the Italian government on common goals: supporting a free and independent Ukraine, respecting human rights and building a sustainable economic future".
According to the German "Spiegel", the main question after Djordje Meloni's election victory is how far she will go to implement the right-wing agenda, or will her government, faced with reality, accept a reasonably moderate conservative program.
The paper points out that the 45-year-old head of "Brothers of Italy" will soon be faced with three major challenges. The first is that, despite winning the most votes, she is faced with a complicated process of forming a government with different right-wing parties. Second, it will have to quickly find an answer to the political and economic pressures the government is facing on the international stage. And finally he will have to win the support of a country that is deeply divided.
Disobedient partners
Meloni may now be the leader of the right, but her partners cannot be said to be obedient. Not so long ago, according to Spiegel, League leader Matteo Salvini was the undisputed leader of the right-wing alliance. However, his party recorded a drop in support to only nine percent, which is why the League will be an unpredictable coalition partner. It is not excluded that the right-wing populist will now have to fight for his future as party leader.
The third politician in the future ruling coalition, Silvio Berlusconi, is not predictable and reliable. On Sunday, the day of the election, he suddenly admitted that Melonija "scares him a little". His Forza Italia won around eight percent of the vote and it is difficult to predict which direction the party will go under the leadership of Berlusconi.
Controlling the ego can also be problematic when it comes to the political aspirations of the two politicians. Salvini will probably want to regain the post of interior minister, which Meloni will try to prevent, fearing the negative publicity his appointment could cause. Salvini is on trial in Sicily for blocking a ship with refugees in 2019, and he is accused of illegal detention and abuse of office.
He will have another problem with Berlusconi. The scandal-prone billionaire and former prime minister whose government brought the country to the brink of bankruptcy 11 years ago still has political ambitions at the age of 86. He will likely want to continue his career in the country's second-highest office, as Senate President. Many believe that he is not capable of performing such a demanding duty, but the question is whether Melonieva will be able to prevent him without jeopardizing his chances of succeeding Mario Draghi as the head of the government.
Even if he manages to reach an agreement with both politicians, forming a government will not be an easy process. In Italy, the president can influence the allocation of seats - and Sergio Mattarella already showed that he was using that power after the 2018 election when he prevented a politician from the victorious but politically inexperienced Five Star Movement from becoming prime minister. In his place, Giuseppe Conte, a law professor, became the head of the government.
Tensions between Rome and Brussels
Another challenge is international politics. And in that area, as "Spiegel" points out, internal tensions can be a problem. At the end of last week, Berlusconi angered many when he said that his old friend Vladimir Putin only wanted to replace Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with a government of "decent people". He said that the Kremlin leader "slipped into a really difficult and dramatic situation".
On the other hand, Matteo Salvini advocated the end of Western sanctions against Russia, and Melonieva defended her old friend Orban after the European Parliament said that Hungary is no longer a real democracy. Key questions await the future Italian government - certainly at the next EU and NATO summits, if not earlier.
The same goes for the ambitious National Recovery and Resilience Plan that was reached between Draghi and the European Commission. Timely implementation of the program is a prerequisite for the EU to send the first tranches of aid to Italy. Meloni has expressed interest in renegotiating the program as she wants to counter what she calls "the EU's climate change ideology."
A deeply divided society
The next challenge relates to the general mood in Italy. After a short and aggressive election campaign, there are deep cracks in society.
First, the left and the right are extremely polarized. Instead of debating the political and life issues facing Italy, the two sides prefer to trade harsh accusations. Dialogue and compromise have become almost impossible at a time when it is especially necessary due to the energy crisis, the impending recession and serious threats from Vladimir Putin.
"Spiegel" states that an even deeper division is being created between politics and the part of society that has distanced itself from politics. As of Saturday, the largest Italian camp is that of non-voters. It can be assumed that many did not go to the polls due to resignation after a campaign that lacked substance. One of the most important tasks of the government and the opposition will be to reduce this gap and prevent a further crisis of confidence.
Meloni and the right in general owe their victory in the elections on Sunday not so much to their own strength as to the weaknesses of the leftist camp, where success was practically impossible due to internal conflicts, according to "Spiegel". Thanks to a complicated electoral law, the right will now have an absolute majority in parliament, and Meloni will have the chance to shape Italy and, to a lesser extent, Europe, according to her ideas.
In the economic and political sense, not much will change in the short term, points out the portal "Konverzejšn". Meloni tried to show the Italian and international elites that she is a responsible leader. It is necessary to get the support of powerful domestic interest groups such as the employers' association "Konfindustrija". The support of the EU is also necessary, especially if Rome wants help from funds for recovery from covid.
However, the portal points out that a lot could change for those whom the extreme right calls enemies of the people: ethnic, religious and sexual minorities; immigrants; judges, intellectuals and journalists who dare to criticize the new regime.
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