The political pendulum is swinging far right in the EU.
Giorgia Meloni, leader of the Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d’Italia) is set to become Italy’s first woman prime minister and far-right leader since World War II.
On Sunday, the Fratelli d’Italia party, that has Italian Social Movement (a neo-fascist party) origins, trumped a majority of the vote despite a historically low turnout of 64%. Many voters stayed home in protest of backroom deals that had created the previous three governments.
As the results emerged, Meloni thanked Italians who didn’t believe “lies” about her and her party, going on to say, “It’s important to understand that if we’re called to govern this nation, we will do so for all Italians” adding, “we will do so with the goal of uniting the people.”
The far right leader is known for her extreme conservative values on issues like climate change, anti-immigration, and sexual and reproductive rights that could effect serious change in the country.
Meloni will officially become prime minister this October, taking the seat of Mario Draghi, Italian economist and former chief of the European Central Bank.