Giorgia Meloni

Giorgia Meloni
Official portrait, 2024
Giorgia Meloni
Born	15 1, 1977
Birthplace	Rome, Italy
Nationality	Italian
Occupation	Politician
Title	Prime Minister of Italy
Known for	First female Prime Minister of Italy; President of Brothers of Italy
Education	Professional journalism qualification
Awards	Time 100 Most Influential People; Forbes third-most-powerful woman (2024); Politico most powerful person in Europe (2025)

Giorgia Meloni (Template:IPA-it; born 15 January 1977) is an Italian politician who has served as Prime Minister of Italy since October 2022, making her the first woman to hold the office in the history of the Italian Republic. A member of the Chamber of Deputies since 2006, Meloni has served as president of the right-wing party Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d'Italia, FdI) since 2014 and was president of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party (ECR Party) from 2020 to 2025. Her political career began in the youth organisations of Italy's post-fascist right in the early 1990s, and she rose through provincial politics, national youth movements, and a ministerial appointment under Silvio Berlusconi before co-founding Brothers of Italy in 2012. Following years of opposition during which FdI grew substantially in the polls, Meloni led her party to victory in the 2022 general election and formed a coalition government. She heads what has become the third-longest-serving government in the history of the Italian Republic. In 2024, Forbes ranked Meloni as the third-most-powerful woman in the world, and Time listed her among the most influential people globally, while Politico ranked her as the most powerful person in Europe in 2025.

Early Life

Giorgia Meloni was born on 15 January 1977 in Rome, Italy. She grew up in the Garbatella neighbourhood of Rome, a working-class district in the southern part of the city. Her father left the family when she was young, and she was raised primarily by her mother. Meloni has spoken publicly about the modest circumstances of her upbringing, noting that she held various jobs during her youth, including working as a babysitter and a bartender.

In 1992, at the age of 15, Meloni joined the Youth Front (Fronte della Gioventù), the youth wing of the Italian Social Movement (MSI), a neo-fascist political party that had been founded in 1946 by followers of Italian fascism. Her entry into political activism at such a young age placed her within Italy's post-war right-wing tradition. When the MSI dissolved and reconstituted itself as the National Alliance (AN) in 1995, moving toward national conservatism, Meloni followed the transition. She became the national leader of Student Action (Azione Studentesca), the student movement affiliated with AN, gaining early experience in political organising and youth mobilisation.

From 1998 to 2002, Meloni served as a councillor of the Province of Rome, her first elected office. Following her tenure as a provincial councillor, she was appointed president of Youth Action (Azione Giovani), the youth wing of the National Alliance, further consolidating her position within the party's organisational structure and establishing herself as one of the most prominent young figures on the Italian right.

Education

Meloni attended school in Rome. She obtained a professional qualification as a journalist, having been registered with the Ordine dei Giornalisti (Order of Journalists) of Rome. She did not complete a university degree, a fact she has acknowledged in public discussions about her background. Her early entry into political activism at age 15 and her subsequent rapid rise through party youth organisations meant that much of her formative development occurred within political rather than academic institutions.

Career

Early Political Career and the National Alliance

Meloni's formal political career began within the structures of Italy's post-fascist right. After joining the Youth Front of the Italian Social Movement in 1992, she transitioned along with the party into the National Alliance in 1995. Her role as national leader of Student Action gave her visibility within the party, and her election as a councillor of the Province of Rome in 1998 marked her entry into institutional politics at the age of 21.

As president of Youth Action from 2002, Meloni oversaw the National Alliance's youth organisation during a period when the Italian right was consolidating under the coalition leadership of Silvio Berlusconi. Her work in youth politics positioned her as a rising figure within AN and the broader centre-right coalition.

Member of the Chamber of Deputies

In 2006, Meloni was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of the Italian Parliament, beginning a tenure that has continued uninterrupted since that time. Her election to the national legislature at the age of 29 represented a significant advancement in her political career.

Minister of Youth (2008–2011)

In May 2008, following the formation of the fourth Berlusconi government, Meloni was appointed Minister for Youth Policies (Ministro della Gioventù), becoming one of the youngest ministers in Italian history at 31 years of age. She succeeded Giovanna Melandri in the portfolio and held the position until November 2011, when the Berlusconi government fell amid the European sovereign debt crisis. In this role, she was responsible for policies affecting young Italians, including employment initiatives and civic engagement programmes. She was succeeded by Andrea Riccardi in the subsequent technocratic government of Mario Monti.

Her ministerial experience provided Meloni with executive-level governance credentials that would later distinguish her from many of her contemporaries on the Italian right.

Founding of Brothers of Italy (2012)

In December 2012, amid the fragmentation of the Italian centre-right following the dissolution of Berlusconi's People of Freedom (PdL) party, Meloni co-founded Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d'Italia). The new party positioned itself as the legal and ideological successor to the National Alliance, drawing on the tradition of the Italian right while seeking to establish a distinct identity within Italy's evolving political landscape. The party's name was taken from the opening line of the Italian national anthem, "Fratelli d'Italia" ("Brothers of Italy").

In 2014, Meloni became president of Brothers of Italy, succeeding Ignazio La Russa in the party leadership. Under her leadership, the party underwent a process of consolidation. In December 2017, references to the National Alliance and the MSI were removed from the party symbol, and the tricolour flame — a symbol historically associated with the MSI — was retained but incorporated into a redesigned logo, a move that attracted figures such as Daniela Santanchè back to the party.

Electoral Setbacks and Growth (2014–2018)

Meloni's path to the premiership was not without electoral setbacks. She ran unsuccessfully in the 2014 European Parliament election and also lost the 2016 Rome municipal election. These defeats, however, did not diminish her standing within the party, and she continued to consolidate her control over FdI's organisational structures.

In the 2018 general election, Brothers of Italy won a modest share of the vote, securing a small presence in Parliament. Despite the party's limited electoral performance, Meloni chose to keep FdI in opposition during the entire 18th legislature, declining to join successive governing coalitions. This decision proved to be strategically consequential.

Rise as Opposition Leader (2018–2022)

During the 18th legislature (2018–2022), Meloni led Brothers of Italy as an opposition force through a period of exceptional political turbulence in Italy, which saw three different governments: the first and second Conte governments and the Draghi government.

FdI's popularity grew substantially during this period. The party's growth accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Draghi Cabinet — a national unity government supported by nearly all major parties — governed Italy from February 2021. Brothers of Italy was the only significant parliamentary party to remain in opposition to the Draghi government, allowing Meloni to position herself and FdI as the sole alternative for voters dissatisfied with the governing coalition.

In November 2019, a video clip of Meloni delivering a speech at a rally in Rome in which she repeatedly declared "Io sono Giorgia" ("I am Giorgia") went viral on social media and was remixed into a dance track that garnered widespread attention in Italy, contributing to her public profile in an unconventional manner.

President of the ECR Party (2020–2025)

In April 2020, Meloni was elected president of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party (ECR Party), the pan-European political party grouping national-conservative and Eurosceptic parties. She succeeded Jan Zahradil in the role. She held the ECR presidency until January 2025, when she was succeeded by former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. Her tenure at the head of the ECR gave Meloni a platform on the European stage and helped to cultivate relationships with like-minded political leaders across the continent.

Prime Minister (2022–present)

Following the fall of the Draghi government in the summer of 2022, snap elections were called. Brothers of Italy, running as part of a centre-right coalition alongside the Lega and Forza Italia, won the 2022 general election. FdI emerged as the largest party in Parliament, and Meloni was sworn in as Prime Minister on 22 October 2022, with President Sergio Mattarella overseeing the formation of her government.

Meloni's appointment as Prime Minister made her the first woman to hold the office in the history of the Italian Republic. Her government, a coalition of FdI, the Lega, and Forza Italia, represented a consolidation of the Italian right under her leadership, with FdI as the dominant partner — a significant shift from previous centre-right coalitions that had been led by Berlusconi.

As Prime Minister, Meloni has pursued policies centred on immigration control, economic development, and Italy's role in European and transatlantic affairs. She has maintained Italy's support for NATO and, despite earlier expressions of sympathy toward improved relations with Russia, condemned the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and committed to continuing Italian arms deliveries to Ukraine.

On domestic policy, Meloni's government has focused on economic investment in southern Italy. In early 2026, The Telegraph reported on what it described as a €13.5 billion investment plan aimed at developing Italy's southern regions, characterising it as a defining economic gamble of Meloni's premiership.

Meloni's government has faced criticism on several fronts. In early 2026, she was criticised for her silence regarding trade tariffs imposed by the United States under President Donald Trump. A Le Monde analysis published in February 2026 noted a paradox in Meloni's political position: while she maintained strong personal poll numbers, 71% of Italians believed their country was headed in the "wrong direction."

On the international stage, a planned Franco-Italian summit between Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron was postponed in February 2026, an event noted by Politico as reflecting the complexities of European diplomatic scheduling and bilateral relations.

In February 2026, Meloni condemned violence during anarchist-led protests in Turin that resulted in over 100 police injuries.

Political Positions

Meloni identifies as a Catholic and a conservative. Her political outlook is frequently encapsulated by the Italian phrase "Dio, patria, famiglia" ("God, fatherland, family"), which she has invoked as a summary of her core values.

On social issues, Meloni is opposed to euthanasia, same-sex marriage, and same-sex parenting. She has stated that nuclear families are exclusively headed by male–female pairs.

On immigration, Meloni has supported the concept of a naval blockade to halt illegal immigration across the Mediterranean, though such a measure has not been enacted during her premiership. She is a critic of globalism and has described her position on the European Union as "Eurorealist" rather than Eurosceptic, indicating qualified engagement with EU institutions rather than outright opposition.

On foreign policy, Meloni is a supporter of NATO. Prior to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, she had favoured improved relations with Russia, but she condemned the invasion and pledged to continue sending arms to Ukraine in support of its defence.

Personal Life

Meloni's daughter, Ginevra, was born in September 2016. The birth was reported by Italian media, with Corriere della Sera describing Ginevra as a "sorellina d'Italia" ("little sister of Italy").

Meloni has spoken publicly about her upbringing in the Garbatella neighbourhood of Rome and the various jobs she held before entering politics full-time, including work as a bartender and babysitter. She has also discussed appearing on a television programme hosted by Fiorello early in her public life.

In an unusual cultural incident in early 2026, a restored angel painting in a Rome church was found to bear a likeness to Meloni, prompting investigations by both Italy's culture ministry and the Diocese of Rome. The BBC, CNN, and The Guardian all reported on the matter.

Recognition

Meloni has received significant international recognition during her tenure as Prime Minister. In 2024, Forbes ranked her as the third-most-powerful woman in the world. In the same year, Time magazine included her in its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2025, Politico ranked Meloni as the most powerful person in Europe.

Her appointment as Prime Minister in October 2022 was itself a historic milestone, as she became the first woman to serve in the role in the history of the Italian Republic. Her government has become the third-longest-serving in the Republic's history, a notable achievement given Italy's historical pattern of frequent government turnover.

As president of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party from 2020 to 2025, Meloni also gained recognition as a leading figure in European conservative politics, helping to shape the direction of the ECR grouping in the European Parliament and its relationship with other political families on the European right.

The viral "Io sono Giorgia" moment in November 2019, in which a remix of her rally speech became a widely shared dance track on Italian social media, contributed to her public recognition beyond traditional political audiences.