As expected, the right-wing coalition led by the post-fascist party Fratelli d’Italia (FdI) won an absolute majority in both houses of parliament in Sunday’s general election in Italy. Only the FdI under Giorgia Meloni, who is likely to become prime minister, received 26 percent of the vote according to the official results of the elections published on Tuesday by the interior ministry in Rome.
Meloni’s allies, the right-wing Lega and the right-wing conservative Forza Italia (FI) led by ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, received 8.8 and 8.1 percent of the vote respectively. Together with a small party that received less than one percent of the vote, the right-wing alliance took 43.8 percent of the vote. The right-wing side secured 237 of the 400 seats in the House of Representatives and 115 of the 200 seats in the Senate – a clear majority in both houses of parliament.
The Social Democratic Democratic Party (PD) led by ex-Prime Minister Enrico Letta received 19 percent of the vote. The center-left alliance of PD and other left-wing parties gains 84 seats in the House of Representatives and 44 seats in the Senate.
The left-populist Five Star Movement (M5S) took 15.4 percent and got 52 MPs and 28 senators, the center party Azione with 7.8 percent of the vote gets 21 MPs and nine senators. The rest of the seats go to small parties. The first parliamentary session is scheduled for 13 October. As a result of a constitutional reform passed in 2020, the new parliament is a third smaller than before and has only 600 instead of 945 members.
Di Maio as a big loser
Several heavyweights of Italian politics lost parliamentary mandates in Sunday’s elections. The reason is also the downsizing of the parliament. One of the big losers is Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio. Heading a newly founded center party “Impegno civico” (civil duty), Di Maio had hoped to continue his political career in this election. But in a duel against a former party member of the Five Stars, ex-Environmental Minister Sergio Costa, in Naples, he lost. “There are no excuses. We lost. The Italians found our political project insufficiently mature and valid. And our party has to think about that. The result was not what we expected. ‘Impegno Civico’ will not be represented in parliament. I won’t be there either,” said Di Maio.
Loss to Gina Lollobrigida
Former minister and ex-EU commissioner Emma Bonino, leader of the Piu Europa (More Europe) party, was also defeated. The election losers also include actress Gina Lollobrigida (95), who ran for the anti-establishment party Italia sovrana e popolare. After 35 years in parliament, the founder of the right-wing Lega, Umberto Bossi, did not return.
“Absolute Disaster” for Salvini’s Lega
After the disappointing election results of his Lega, party leader Matteo Salvini is coming under increasing pressure. Several heavyweights in his party are calling for his resignation. “Now we have to talk about a party congress, that is necessary. I know who you could choose as the new party leader, but I’m not going to name names yet,” said former second in the Lega, ex-Interior Minister Roberto Maroni. The parliamentary elections were an “absolute disaster” for the Lega, Paolo Grimoldi, former leader of the League in his Lombardy stronghold, said.With Salvini, the League lost contact with the activists. “Dignity dictates immediate resignation.”
Salvini came out of the competition within the right-wing alliance as a clear loser. The 49-year-old from Milan, who until a few weeks ago dreamed of becoming prime minister in a centre-right government, is now battling a mess. The party collapsed to the level of the weakened Forza Italia.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
