Giorgia Meloni’s Balancing Act as Italy’s Prime Minister

In her two years at the helm as Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni has taken significant strides to distance herself from her hard-right roots, positioning herself in line with mainstream Western politics on critical international issues. However, this past week, she made bold moves that served as stark reminders of her conservative ideologies.

On Wednesday, the Italian Senate approved an expansion of an existing ban on surrogacy, now making it illegal for Italian citizens to seek surrogate births abroad. This legislative decision coincided with the Italian Navy’s inaugural mission to transport migrants to Albania, marking the beginning of Italy’s controversial new strategy to process asylum claims outside its borders. These initiatives, which resonate deeply with the far-right’s core themes of migration control and traditional family values, were powerful and symbolic gestures aimed at her political base.

According to political scientist Roberto D’Alimonte from Luiss Guido Carli University in Rome, “She doesn’t want to adopt an overtly far-right stance, but she must provide something appealing to her foundational supporters.” He further elaborated that Meloni is “walking a tightrope,” balancing her international credibility with the expectations of her right-wing constituency.

Rather than merely shedding her past affiliations, Meloni has actively sought to elevate her political profile. She has positioned herself as a bridge between centrist mainstream politics and the more extreme nationalistic parties in Europe, such as Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party in Hungary. This strategy not only helps her maintain a foothold among her supporters but also seeks to enhance Italy’s standing on the international stage.