Meloni government breaks record for longest tenure in power in Italy

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government broke the record for the longest continuous period in power in post-World War II Italy on September 4. However, this continuity presents significant challenges ahead of next year’s legislative elections.

After years of political instability, Meloni will become the first female prime minister to hold office for 1,413 consecutive days, surpassing by one day the record set by the late Silvio Berlusconi during one of his four terms in government.

Marco Onato, a deputy from Meloni’s right-wing Brothers of Italy party, told Agence France-Presse that this achievement is “certainly a source of pride.”

Analysts suggest that this continuity will bolster the prime minister’s image ahead of the 2027 elections, which Italy is preparing for, noting that around 70 governments have come to power over the past 80 years.

Brothers of Italy’s consistent lead in opinion polls suggests that Meloni is poised to replicate her 2022 electoral victory. However, Meloni’s governing coalition faces the risk of losing part of its voter base to Roberto Fani, a former general who regularly campaigns on anti-immigration rhetoric.

Fani’s new party, Future National, currently garners about 7% support in opinion polls, and its role may become more significant next year in securing a parliamentary majority capable of forming a government.

Nevertheless, analysts note that the ruling coalition, which includes Matteo Salvini’s right-wing League party and the conservative Forza Italia, also draws political strength from chronic divisions within the left-wing opposition and from rising voter apathy.

Voter turnout in the 2022 elections reached approximately 64%, the lowest in history, and fell below 50% in the 2024 European Parliament elections.