Meloni's longevity record: what it means for the South

Giorgia Meloni's government has become the longest-lasting since World War II, surpassing the record set by Silvio Berlusconi between 2001 and 2005, France 24 reported on Thursday. The milestone, reached after 1,413 days in power, marks a remarkable run of stability in a country that has cycled through 68 governments in 80 years.

For the South, and for Puglia in particular, the longevity of this administration carries a specific significance. The region has long been a testing ground for national policies on industrial transition, agriculture and migration — areas where the government's record is now subject to closer scrutiny precisely because of the time it has had to implement its agenda.

The stability that Meloni has brought to Rome has been praised by some international observers as a departure from Italy's tradition of revolving-door politics. But for the Mezzogiorno, the question is whether that stability has translated into tangible progress on the issues that matter most.