Pope Francis offers prayers for ‘peace and unity’ in Italy as PM Giorgia Meloni takes over

Pope Francis prayed for "unity and peace in Italy" as Giorgia Meloni became the country's first female prime minister and would now lead the most right-wing administration in the nation since the end of World War II.

On Sunday, Giorgia Meloni, the head of the neofascist Brothers of Italy party, visited Mario Draghi, the departing prime minister of Italy, for an official transfer ceremony.

After more than an hour of private discussion, former Italy PM Mario Draghi gave his successor Giorgia Meloni a little symbolic bell used during cabinet discussions in the country.




Then, the first cabinet meeting of the new prime minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition, which comprises Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia and Matteo Salvini's far-right League, got underway.

However, conflicts over important ministerial positions and rivalries between the three-time former prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, and PM Giorgia Meloni, had caused obstacles while forming a government. This was especially true after Silvio Berlusconi was caught on camera telling the parliamentarians that he blamed Ukraine for the war with Russia and had rekindled his friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Giorgia Meloni, who has previously lauded Vladimir Putin, underlined before getting her mandate that her government would be vehemently pro-Nato and that anyone who rejected that notion would not be a part of the government.

FAQs

What would be the new PM's immediate focus?
The prime minister's most urgent tasks include protecting households from growing inflation, and the spike in energy costs brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, leaving her substantially short of the financial resources needed to fund election campaign resources.

When were the election results declared?
On the promise of significant tax reductions, increased pension benefits, a crackdown on illegal immigration, and support for the traditional family, the coalition won the general election on September 25.