A cultural and political defeat

The real defeat for the right, after four years in government, lies not only in the reforms that were promised but never delivered; it is also cultural and political. Giorgia Meloni had arrived at Palazzo Chigi with the ambition of transforming sovereignty into a modern form of conservatism, capable of defending the national interest whilst remaining firmly within Europe. That ambition has gradually been lost.

The Italian right has ended up following in Donald Trump’s footsteps just as ‘Trumpism’ was becoming intertwined with the techno-sovereignism of the major economic and autocratic powers. This model is far removed from Italy’s interests, as the country’s strength depends on Europe, the single market and its industrial and export-oriented nature.

The contradiction is evident even at home: industry is experiencing economic stagnation and a lack of vision, whilst an increasingly fragile middle class is retreating into fear of the future.

Giorgia Meloni’s greatest stroke of luck was facing an opposition that chose the path of identity politics with no future.