Meloni’s performance was good, but the ministers’ was less so

President Meloni’s first achievement has been to give Italy a government capable of lasting. Not without a few hiccups or changes of course, but enough to build credibility. This can be seen in the spread, in the deficit kept under control during difficult years, and in the statesmanlike standing that Meloni has earned for herself. Her move to Palazzo Chigi has shown just how much the weight of the role can make one’s positions more pragmatic and moderate. One may or may not agree with her choices, but that standing is a fact. And that is no small matter in Italy. The same cannot be said of the rest of the Council of Ministers. From such a long-serving government, one would have expected an equally long-term vision. Too many policies have remained short-term, tied to election cycles and changed along the way. In an unpredictable world, businesses need clear rules and a long-term outlook. The paradox is that the Republic’s most stable government risks leaving untouched the very issues that have been causing instability in Italy for decades.