‘Io sono Giorgia’ – the two faces of Meloni

Nearly four years after taking office, Giorgia Meloni remains one of the most intriguing politicians in Europe. While presenting herself as a reliable partner in Brussels, the prime minister of Italy promotes a far right conservative and nationalist agenda at home, summarized in the slogan ‘Io sono Giorgia, sono una donna, sono una madre, sono cristiana’ (‘I am Giorgia, I am a woman, I am a mother, I am Christian,). Is the ‘Meloni model’ becoming a new norm for the European right?

Leading Fratelli d’Italia, a party with post-fascist roots, Meloni’s rise to power initially sparked controversy and skepticism among EU member states. Today, however, she operates effectively within European and international institutions, embracing NATO and the EU, and positioning herself as a strong supporter of Ukraine. Has Meloni truly shifted her worldview, or is this part of a long-term strategy?

At the same time, Meloni has cultivated close ties with President Donald Trump, whose ‘America First’ politics echo her own nationalist agenda. The Italian prime minister has sought to position herself as the European “Trump whisperer”. But as transatlantic tensions rise, can she sustain this balancing act between Washington and Brussels?

During this evening, we explore the paradoxes of Meloni’s politics and place them in the context of Italy’s political culture and Europe’s evolving power dynamics. What does her success reveal about the direction in which Europe is heading? And is the recently lost referendum on reforming the Italian judiciary system a first crack in Meloni’s success?