Giorgia Meloni, leader of the Italian political party Fratelli d’Italia, has expressed concerns about a supposed grand plot to oust her government and replace it with a technocratic one. She believes that the recent increase in the spread between Italian and German bonds and the disputes with Germany over NGO rescue ships are part of this plan. Meloni made these comments during the EuMed9 summit in Valletta. She dismissed these fears, stating that Italy remains a strong nation with a higher growth forecast than the European average, France, and Germany.
However, behind the scenes, Meloni’s nerves are apparent, haunted by memories of 2011 when Silvio Berlusconi’s government fell, resulting in the center-right losing power and subsequent elections. Meloni’s goal is to last a full five-year term. She has developed a certain awareness with her staff that she will not fall victim to a plot. If her government fails, it will be due to concrete reasons caused by her own actions. Meloni highlights that the spread between Italian and German bonds is now 50 basis points lower compared to a year ago. She claims to have a thorough understanding of politics and reality.
Six months ago, during another period of political tension, Meloni warned against using the strategy of tension to wear down her government. Despite some initial cracks in her administration, Meloni’s polling numbers show an 11-point lead over the Democratic Party. She attributes this success partly to the failures of the opposition. If the European elections go poorly, it will be the Secretary of the Democratic Party who loses their position. As for the grand plot, Meloni attributes it to newspapers, powerful entities, and the left. In the case of her government’s downfall, she will not support a technocratic government but instead advocate for new elections. Her refusal to join Mario Draghi’s government was seen as a key factor in Fratelli d’Italia’s electoral success.
Overall, Meloni’s approach involves preemptively identifying enemies and blaming them for any potential problems. One day it’s Germany, the next it’s newspapers and dark forces of international finance. Despite these claims, the Deputy Secretary of the Council of Ministers, Giovanbattista Fazzolari, dismisses any notion of a plot or concern and describes it as a desperate attempt to disrupt the government. Meloni’s close associates predict that only judges or external factors could undermine their position.