Meloni Becomes Italy's Longest-Serving Postwar PM — SkimNews
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- Meloni's government became Italy's longest-serving postwar administration on Friday at 1,413 days, edging past Silvio Berlusconi's single-government record by one day, though Berlusconi still holds the overall tenure record with nine years across multiple governments.
- Italy has had 68 governments in the 80 years since becoming a republic, averaging roughly 13 months per administration — a backdrop against which Meloni's near-four-year run stands out.
- Meloni and her Brothers of Italy party are staging a celebration in Bari with 80 coaches transporting supporters and Deputy PMs Matteo Salvini and Antonio Tajani joining via video link, an event framed by DW as an effective launch for the 2027 election campaign.
- The Meloni government cites one million more people in employment, unemployment below 6%, a €21 billion ($24 billion) personal income tax cut, and a sharp drop in migrant arrivals as its core achievements.
- CGIL trade union head Maurizio Landini countered that wages have not risen, petrol costs more, job insecurity has grown, and the healthcare system functions less effectively, while opponents planned a parallel Bari rally accusing the government of building a "war and weapons economy" and "police state."
- Retired general Roberto Vannacci, whose party sits further right than Meloni's, has overtaken both the League and Forza Italia in polls, emerging as a potential far-right challenger ahead of 2027.
Why it matters: The longevity milestone gives Meloni a credible incumbency argument ahead of the 2027 vote, but the rising Vannacci challenge and persistent cost-of-living grievances suggest the record may matter more for narrative than for dominance — the far-right flank she once owned is now splitting against her.
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