Meloni sets postwar longevity record as far-right rival gains ground

Giorgia Meloni's government on Friday became the longest-lasting in Italy's postwar history, surpassing the record set by Silvio Berlusconi between 2001 and 2005. France 24 reported that the prime minister, who took office in 2022, has now led Italy for 1,413 days, a remarkable feat of stability in a country that has seen 68 governments in the last 80 years.

The milestone, however, arrives alongside a fresh political challenge. The Guardian reported that Roberto Vannacci, a far-right leader whose Futuro Nazionale party has risen rapidly in the polls, now poses questions about whether Meloni will return to her roots before the general election expected next year. Vannacci's surge complicates the prime minister's carefully cultivated image as a pragmatic leader who works within EU institutions.

France 24's analysis attributes Meloni's survival to a combination of what one expert called '50% savvy political tactics, 50% extraordinarily good luck.' The government has navigated European institutions and even taken positions that initially surprised allies wary of her party's neo-fascist roots.