This is a significant record achieved despite major challenges ahead of next year’s elections.
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In a country once synonymous with political instability, the first woman in the position of Italy’s leader will have led the same administration for 1,413 days. That is one day longer than the late Silvio Berlusconi managed during one of his four terms as prime minister.
“This is undoubtedly a source of pride,” Marco Osnato, a well-known parliament member from G. Meloni’s far-right party “Brothers of Italy” (FdI), told the AFP news agency about this achievement.
Analysts say this record will likely strengthen the prime minister’s image as Italy, which has seen nearly 70 governments change in the past 80 years, prepares for the 2027 national elections.
With FdI consistently leading in public opinion polls, it may seem that G. Meloni will successfully repeat her 2022 victory.
However, recent events have complicated the path to re-election, said Lorenzo Pregliasco from the polling institute “YouTrend”.
This year, G. Meloni’s position was weakened by a defeat in a referendum on justice reform, showing that voters believe “an alternative majority” to the current ruling coalition “could emerge,” said L. Pregliasco.
Success?
The painful defeat also raised questions about the government’s achievements.
The reform plan to strengthen the prime minister’s powers and increase regional autonomy was one of the three main coalition promises that the government has so far failed to implement.
Critics say that in other areas, results have fallen far short of expectations. They argue that the government, despite having a large parliamentary majority, has failed to solve structural problems that many believe hinder Italy’s progress.
“This stability has not been exploited,” said Chiara Braga, leader of the center-left opposition Democratic Party faction in parliament.
“It has not helped noticeably improve people’s living standards or business competitiveness,” she said.
Italy’s economy is forecast to grow by just 0.6% in 2026, and real wages have barely increased since the early 1990s.
Although unemployment has fallen from over 7% to about 5% in the past four years, the number of people able to work but not seeking jobs remains high.
“This government primarily aimed to survive by doing as little as possible,” said Tito Boeri, an economist at Milan’s Bocconi University.
Supporters counter that the administration has cut taxes and increased tax revenues, introduced fiscal discipline in a heavily indebted country, and earned Italy a more important role on the global stage during a tense geopolitical period.
“In foreign policy, Italy has never been so important, especially in Europe,” said M. Osnato, noting that from tightening migration rules to energy policy, Rome is now seen as a driving force in Brussels.
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“Nothing has changed”
Politically, G. Meloni’s coalition risks losing voters to Roberto Vannacci – a former general who regularly attacks migrants and LGBTIQ people.
His recently founded party “Futuro Nazionale” polls around 7% and could become a decisive factor in forming power next year.
However, analysts say support for the ruling alliance, which includes Matteo Salvini’s far-right party “League” and the conservative “Forza Italia,” is sustained by ongoing infighting among the left opposition and growing voter apathy.
Voter turnout was about 64% in 2022, a record low. In the 2024 European Parliament elections, it fell below the 50% mark.
“A significant portion of voters are truly disappointed and angry,” said Giovanni Orsina, a political scientist at Rome’s Luiss University.
Due to Italy’s chronic problems, many have come to believe that “no one can solve their problems,” he added.
In August, G. Meloni was loudly booed at a sports event in Taranto, a city in the south of the country. It hosts a huge steel plant facing major economic and environmental challenges, and the government struggles to keep it afloat.
Polls show that the cost of living, deteriorating public healthcare, security, and immigration are among Italians’ biggest concerns.
These trends were clearly visible in Tor Bella Monaca, an eastern working-class suburb of Rome, full of abandoned apartment blocks, pawnshops, and discount stores.
This district, controlled by G. Meloni’s party, regularly ranks among those with the lowest voter turnout.
“In the 45 years I’ve lived on this planet, nothing has changed and nothing will change in Italy,” said Maurizio, an IT worker who preferred to give only his first name.
He said he is tempted by R. Vannacci but will not vote in next year’s elections, lamenting the lack of a long-term vision for the country.
Others were more optimistic.
“People expect change overnight,” said 67-year-old local retiree Annamaria, a supporter of the prime minister.
“It takes time, but things are improving,” she added, saying she believes crime – and migrants – have become less noticeable recently.
