President of the Council of Ministers

Giorgia Meloni was born in Rome on 15 January 1977 and is a professional journalist.

She became involved in politics at the age of 15, as a student and youth movement member. At 21, she was elected councillor of the Province of Rome and, at 27, she was elected leader of Azione Giovani, the youth movement of the Alleanza Nazionale party.

When she was 29, she was elected as a member of parliament for the first time and, during the XV Legislature, she held the role of vice-president of the Chamber of Deputies. She holds the record for being the Italian Republic’s youngest ever minister: in fact, in 2008, she became Minister for Youth at the age of 31.

On 21 December 2012, she founded Fratelli d’Italia, and is the party’s national president. During the XVII Legislature, she was parliamentary group chair at the Chamber of Deputies. In 2020, she was elected president of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party, a political family that brings together more than 40 EU and non-EU parties.

On 22 October 2022, she was sworn in as President of the Council of Ministers by President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale Palace. She is the first woman in Italy’s history to hold this position.

Giorgia Meloni (born January 15, 1977) is the current Prime Minister of Italy, the first woman to hold the office, a position she has held since October 2022. She is also the president of the national-conservative political party Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d’Italia). 

Key Information

• Current Role: Prime Minister of Italy since October 22, 2022.
• Political Party: President of the Brothers of Italy party since 2014.
• Political Stance: Her government is described as a right-wing coalition, considered by some commentators to be Italy’s most right-wing government since World War II.
• Background: She began her political involvement at age 15, joining the Youth Front of the Italian Social Movement (MSI), a known neo-fascist party. She later became Italy’s youngest-ever minister, serving as Minister for Youth from 2008 to 2011. 

Recent Updates and Policies

• Domestic Policy: Her government has faced criticism regarding high rates of violence against women and persistent workplace inequality, despite passing anti-stalking legislation and making domestic violence an aggravating factor in sentencing. She has also pushed forward controversial plans to send migrants and asylum seekers to detention centers in Albania for processing, despite legal challenges.
• Foreign Policy:
  • She has been a vocal critic of Russia’s “unjustified” war in Ukraine, calling for an end to the conflict and punishment for the act of aggression.
  • She has engaged in significant diplomatic activity, meeting with leaders like U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian PM Narendra Modi. She has described ongoing talks regarding a potential U.S. peace plan for Ukraine as a “test of maturity” for Europe, urging a temporary ceasefire on strategic infrastructure.
  • She has focused on strengthening global bonds and maintaining stability, which has led to high approval ratings domestically.