“Unjustified fears, he remains popular inside and outside Italy” –

Giorgia Meloni is among the 100 most influential people of 2024 according to Time. When the first Italian female prime minister «came to power in Italy in 2022, many observers had fears for her far-right party and for the impact she would have on Europe and the world – writes the American weekly -. But two years later, Meloni remains popular, not only in Italy, where she enjoys a 41% approval rating despite weak economic growth, but also among Western leaders, many of whom have been cheered by her unwavering support. to Ukraine (and, in particular, by its ability to persuade leaders such as Hungary’s Viktor Orban to support European funding in Kiev)”.

Meloni, Time continues, «has not completely abandoned his right-wing politics: at home, his government has pursued policies that, according to critics, silently erode the rights of LGBTQ+ people. At the European Union level, it has been credited as the driving force behind the immigration approach, which involves paying countries like Egypt and Tunisia to prevent migrants from leaving.” “If the European right-wing bloc were to expand after the European Parliament elections in June, as predicted by the polls, Meloni could emerge as its natural leading figure”, the US magazine’s opinion.