Meloni’s victory in regional elections strengthens her power in Italy

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her right coalition partners won decisive election victories in the two wealthiest regions of Italy. This win consolidated the right parties’ coalition hold on power.

Less than five months after forming a right-wing government, the conservative alliance received more than 55% of the vote in Lombardy, which includes the financial hub Milan, and about 50% in Lazio, which includes the capital, Rome, as reported by Reuters.

“This victory consolidates the center-right and enhances the government’s work,” Giorgia Meloni stated in a tweet.

It was Meloni’s first electoral test since her party victory in the national election and her rise to power in September 2022. And now the regional vote revealed that the Brothers of Italy party and its leader have strong support among Italians. 

This result was partly aided by a poor opposition that could have presented a united front in either region. However, the stunning victory of the right coalition was eclipsed in part by the fact that just 40% of people voted, and it’s the lowest turnout ever recorded for Lazio and Lombardy. These two regions combined account for over a quarter of the Italian population.

While the right already controlled Lombardy, the center-left gained control of Lazio. Overall, the coalition of right parties now holds 15 of Italy’s 20 regions and the national government. It ensures Meloni and her partners a solid opportunity to define internal affairs.

Brothers of Italy reaffirmed its status as the most popular party in Italy, receiving a projected 33% support in Lazio and 26% in Lombardy.

Meloni’s partners hold their positions despite predictions. At the same time, Matteo Salvini’s League gained ground in Lombardy, and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia easily surpassed centrist opponents. 

Salvini’s and Berlusconi’s pro-Russia stance in the context of Russia’s war caused them to lose ground in the national election in September 2022. On the other hand, Prime Minister, Meloni, remains a strong supporter of Ukraine.

The outcome provided no consolation to the center-left group, which includes the Democratic Party and the 5-Star Movement, which were part of the previous national government.