Meloni to stand in European election as ‘political stunt’
GIORGIA MELONI, the Italian prime minister, said yesterday she would stand in the June 2024 European elections even though the lawmakers are barred from holding ministerial posts.
The move appears to be a calculated attempt to boost support for her party at a European level given that if she were elected she would have to resign as prime minister, something she is highly unlikely to do.
“We want to do in Europe exactly what we did in Italy on Sept 25, 2022, creating a majority that brings together the forces of the Right to finally send the Left into opposition, even in Europe,” Ms Meloni said at a party meeting in the Adriatic city of Pescara.
In her closing speech she rallied supporters, touching on themes such as surrogacy, illegal immigration and the right to protect family and Christian values.
After speaking for more than an hour, Ms Meloni announced her candidature for the European Parliament. “I’m doing it because I want to ask Italians if they are satisfied with the work we are doing in Italy and that we’re doing in Europe,” she said, suggesting that only she could unite Europe’s conservatives.
“I’m doing it because in addition to being president of Brothers of Italy, I’m also the leader of the European conservatives who want to have a decisive role in changing the course of European politics,” she added.
Ms Meloni will be the first name on the ballot for Brothers of Italy in all five of Italy’s constituencies for the European election. However, she pledged she would not use “a single minute” of her time as prime minister to campaign.
Critics balked at her decision to stand in the election because she is expected to win a seat but not to take it and remain in Rome as premier. If that happens, her seat would be assigned to the next line in her party’s electoral list.
“It is a pure and shameless electoral move,” Wolfango Piccoli, co-president, political risk advisory at Teneo Intelligence, said.