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Meloni set to break Italy's postwar government longevity record
Giorgia Meloni's government is poised to become Italy's longest-lasting since World War II, surpassing Silvio Berlusconi's 2005 record, with a rally planned to mark the milestone. The achievement is overshadowed by concerns about political fragmentation, rising support for a new far-right party, and stalled structural reforms ahead of the 2027 elections.
By Tertius News AI Desk2 distinct · 4 mastheads · 4 articlesVersion 1Coverage Published
A Record of Stability
Giorgia Meloni is set to lead Italy's longest-lasting government since World War II, a milestone that underscores a rare period of political stability in a country long known for its short-lived administrations. On Friday, the prime minister, who took office in October 2022, will have been in charge of the same coalition for 1,413 days, one more than the record of 1,412 consecutive days set by Silvio Berlusconi in 2005.
Meloni, who has tempered her populist instincts with pragmatism since coming to power, plans to mark the occasion with a rally on September 4, framing the durability of her coalition as one of its crowning achievements, according to Reuters. The event comes as Italy, which has cycled through 68 governments in 80 years, has proved steadier during a period of global conflict than France, which has had five prime ministers since the autumn of 2022, and Britain, which has had four.
"It is certainly a point of pride," Marco Osnato, a lawmaker with Meloni's Brothers of Italy party, told AFP.
While Berlusconi's single-term record is about to be eclipsed, he remains the longest-serving Italian prime minister overall, with a tenure of about nine years over four terms between 1994 and 2011.
A Record Amid Challenges
The record is likely to bolster Meloni's image as Italy gears up for a national vote in 2027, analysts say, but it belies considerable challenges ahead. Opinion polls suggest that the 2027 parliamentary elections could usher in a more fragmented and potentially less stable political landscape.
"There is a genuine risk that we could return to the worst kind of a splintered parliament next time around," said Roberto D'Alimonte, a professor of Italian politics at Rome's Luiss university.
The political landscape has shifted with the emergence of a new far-right party led by former general Roberto Vannacci, whose blunt language on immigration, security, and cultural change has tapped into public anxieties. Support for Vannacci has surged to 8%, according to a poll published by BiDiMedia on August 26, which put the coalition partners at just 38.5%. Vannacci's rise risks turning a previously disciplined conservative alliance into a more fractious bloc.
The broad centre-left camp, deeply divided over foreign policy and prone to infighting, is hovering close to the vital 42% threshold in that poll.
This year also brought setbacks for Meloni. In April, S. President Donald Trump accused her of lacking courage and letting the United States down in its war with Iran, a diplomatic blow that followed the collapse of their once-close ties. Weeks later, Italians rejected her flagship judicial reform in a referendum, a stinging domestic defeat that punctured the aura of invincibility surrounding the coalition.
Lorenzo Pregliasco of the YouTrend polling institute said the referendum defeat showed voters there "may be an alternative majority" to the coalition in power. The reform, which aimed to strengthen the powers of the prime minister and increase regional autonomy, was one of three flagship coalition pledges that the government has so far failed to deliver.
Economic Record: Progress and Gaps
Allies and critics offer sharply different assessments of the government's economic record. Deputy Foreign Minister Edmondo Cirielli of Brothers of Italy said the government had kept deficits and debt under control while adding 1.2 million workers to the jobs market, pushing unemployment to under 6%.
"The record figures on employment and unemployment are indisputable," he told Reuters.
Analysts broadly agree that Meloni's strongest achievement has been restoring confidence in Italy's shaky public finances. Lorenzo Codogno, a former chief economist at the Treasury and now head of LC Macro Advisors, said the cabinet had convinced investors it was committed to budget discipline and had curtailed costly policies of past administrations, notably the "Superbonus" home renovation scheme.
"In terms of fiscal responsibility, I think the government has done a decent job," Codogno said. But he added: "In terms of promoting growth and reforming the economy, not much has been done."
Little effort was made to shake up an inefficient public administration, the health service, and the education system, while institutional reforms, including handing more powers to the prime minister, have floundered. Pregliasco said part of the reason Meloni has stayed in power for four years is that "she did not try to change much or upset voters."
The government has also focused on law and order, boosting police powers and cracking down on irregular immigration, cutting the number of new arrivals to 66,316 last year from 157,651 in 2023. Francesco Filini, head of Brothers of Italy's policy programme, told Reuters: "There has been the paradigm shift imposed by Giorgia Meloni in the management of illegal immigration."
Critics remain unconvinced. Chiara Braga, leader of the centre-left opposition Democratic Party's parliamentary group, said: "This stability was not capitalised upon. It did not lead to any significant improvement in people's living standards or business competitiveness."
Tito Boeri, an economist at Milan's Bocconi University, said the government "has primarily sought to survive" by "doing as little as possible."
Supporters counter that the administration has cut taxes, increased tax revenues, brought fiscal discipline to the highly indebted nation, and won Italy a more prominent role on the global stage at a fraught geopolitical time. Osnato said, "When it comes to foreign policy, Italy has never been so central, particularly in Europe."
Looking Ahead
The government has embarked on a last-gasp legislative push to redraw the electoral law, introducing a system that would give a majority bonus to any bloc winning more than 42% of the vote. Critics say the change is designed to strengthen the conservative bloc's chances of staying in power. Meloni says it is aimed at providing renewed stability whoever wins.
Codogno offered a cautionary note: "The markets have liked stability and got used to it, but this is Italy, it won't last for ever."
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Framing: Emphasizes the longevity of the Meloni government, framing it as a record-setting achievement.
Facts Included:
Giorgia Meloni's hard-right government on Friday becomes the longest-lasting in Italy's postwar history -- a notable record that belies considerable challenges ahead of elections next year.
Italy's first woman leader will have been in charge of the same administration for 1,413 days, one more than the late Silvio Berlusconi managed during one of his four stints in office.
The record is likely to boost the prime minister's image as Italy, which has had almost 70 governments over the past 80 years, gears up for a national vote in 2027, analysts say.
This year Meloni was undermined by a justice reform referendum defeat that showed voters there "may be an alternative majority" to the coalition currently in power, Pregliasco said.
The drubbing also raised questions about the government's record. With plans to strengthen the powers of the prime minister and increase regional autonomy, the reform was one of three flagship coalition pledges that the government has so far failed to deliver.
The government, which enjoys an ample parliamentary majority, has failed to tackle the structural issues that many believe hold Italy back, they say.
Unemployment has fallen from above 7 percent to around 5 percent over the past four years, but the number of economically inactive people -- those who could work but are not looking for a job -- remains high.
Supporters counter that the administration has cut taxes and increased tax revenues, brought fiscal discipline to the highly indebted nation, and won Italy a more prominent role on the global stage at a fraught geopolitical time.
Politically, Meloni's coalition risks bleeding voters to Roberto Vannacci, a former general who regularly bashes migrants and LGBTQ+ people. His newly-created Futuro Nazionale party polls at around 7% and could emerge as a kingmaker next year.
Voter turnout in 2022 was about 64%,a record low,and fell below 50% for European elections in 2024.
In August, Meloni was loudly booed at a sporting event in Taranto,a southern city home to a giant steel plant plagued by economic and environmental challenges that the government is struggling to keep afloat.
Surveys show that the cost of living,a deteriorating public health system,security and immigration are among Italians' top concerns.
Nothing has changed in Italy over the 45 years I've been on this planet and nothing will," said Maurizio,a sandal-wearing IT worker who preferred to give only his first name.
"People expect to see improvement overnight," said Annamaria,67,a local pensioner and supporter of the prime minister,who also declined to give her last name.
In a country once a byword for political instability, Italy's first woman leader will have been in charge of the same administration for 1,413 days, one more than the late Silvio Berlusconi managed during one of his four stints in office.
"It is certainly a point of pride," Marco Osnato,a prominent lawmaker with Meloni's far-right Brothers of Italy (FdI) party,told AFP of the milestone.
But recent events have complicated the path to re-election,said Lorenzo Pregliasco,of the YouTrend polling institute.
Supporters counter thatthe administration has cut taxesand increased tax revenues,brought fiscal disciplineto the highly indebted nation,and won Italya more prominent role on the global stage at a fraught geopolitical time.
But support for the ruling alliance,which includesthe far-right League of Matteo Salvini and conservative Forza Italia,is buoyed by perennial infighting within the left-leaning opposition and increasing abstentionism,analysts say.
Framing: The headline emphasizes the potential impermanence of Meloni’s new stability record for Italy, suggesting it may be fleeting.
Facts Included:
Giorgia Meloni is poised to lead Italy’s longest-lasting government since World War II, overtaking a record of 1,412 consecutive days set by Silvio Berlusconi in 2005.
Meloni has tempered her populist instincts with pragmatism since taking power in October 2022.
Meloni plans to hold a rally on Sept. ̈4 to celebrate the milestone, framing the durability of her coalition as one of its crowning achievements.
Italy has cycled through 68 governments in ̈80 years.
France, which has had five prime ministers since the autumn of ̈2022, while Britain has got through four.
Framing: The headline emphasizes that Meloni's new stability record may be fleeting, suggesting impermanence rather than solid achievement
Facts Included:
Giorgia Meloni is poised to lead Italy's longest-lasting government since World War Two, overtaking a record of 1,412 consecutive days set by Silvio Berlusconi
Meloni has tempered her populist instincts with pragmatism since taking power in October 2022
Italy has cycled through 68 governments in 80 years
France has had five prime ministers since the autumn of 2022
Roberto D'Alimonte, a professor of Italian politics at Rome's Luiss, said: 'There is a genuine risk that we could return to the worst kind of a splintered parliament next time around'
Lorenzo Codogno, a former chief economist at the Treasury and now head of LC Macro Advisors, said the cabinet had convinced investors it was committed to budget discipline and had curtailed costly policies of past administrations, notably the 'Superbonus' home renovation scheme
Lorenzo Pregliasco, head of YouTrend, said: 'Part of the reason Meloni has been able to stay in power for four years is that she did not try to change much or upset voters'
The number of new arrivals to Italy was cut to 66,316 last year from 157,651 in 2022
Francesco Filini, the head of Brothers of Italy's policy programme, told Reuters: 'There has been the paradigm shift imposed by Giorgia Meloni in the management of illegal immigration'
S. president accused her in April of lacking courage and letting the United States down in its war with China
Italians rejected her flagship judicial reform in a referendum
Support for Roberto Vannacci has surged to 8%
Lorenzo Codogno said: 'The markets have liked stability and got used to it, but this is Italy, it won't last for ever'
Framing: The headline emphasizes that Meloni's new stability record may be fleeting, highlighting a potential short-lived nature of her achievement.
Facts Included:
Giorgia Meloni is poised to lead Italy's longest-lasting government since World War Two, overtaking a record of 1,412 consecutive days set by Silvio Berlusconiin 2005
Meloni plans a rally on Friday, September 4 to celebrate the milestone
Italy has cycled through 68 governments in 80 years
France has had five prime ministers since the autumn of 2022
Britain has got through four
Opinion polls suggest that the 2027 parliamentary elections could usher in a more fragmented and potentially less stable political landscape
Roberto D'Alimonte, a professor of Italian politics at Rome's Luiss university, said "There is a genuine risk that we could return to the worst kind of a splintered parliament next time around"
Berlusconi's single-term record is about to be eclipsed, he will remain the longest-serving Italian prime minister overall, with a tenure of about nine years over four terms between 1994 and 2011
Deputy Foreign Minister Edmondo Cirielli, of Meloni's Brothers of Italy party, said the government had kept deficits and debt under control
Meloni's strongest achievement has been restoring confidence in Italy's shaky public finances
Lorenzo Codogno, a former chief economist at the Treasury and now head of LC Macro Advisors, said the cabinet had convinced investors it was committed to budget discipline and had curtailed costly policies such as the "Superbonus" home renovation scheme
Codogno said "In terms of fiscal responsibility, I think the government has done a decent job"
Codogno said "In terms of promoting growth and reforming theeconomy, not much has been done"
Little effort was made to shake up an inefficient public administration, the health service and education system, while allthe government's institutional reforms, including handing more powers to the prime minister, have floundered
Lorenzo Pregliasco, head of YouTrend pollster, said "Partof the reason Meloni has been able to stay in power for four years is that she did not try to change much or upset voters"
Meloni focused on law and order, boosting police powers and cracking down on irregular immigration — a key electoral pledge — cutting the number of new arrivals to 66,316 last year from157,651 in 2023
Francesco Filini, the head of Brothers of Italy's policy programme, told Reuters "There has been the paradigm shift imposed by Giorgia Meloniin the management of illegal immigration"
Meloni's standing abroad has been bruised by the collapse of her once-close ties with Donald Trump
Trump accused her in April of lacking courage and lettingthe United States down in its war with Iran
The diplomatic setback came within weeks of a stinging domestic defeat, when Italians rejected her flagship judicial reform ina referendum
The loss punctured the aura of invincibility that had surrounded Meloni's coalition, andwhile her party remains themost popular inItaly, the standing of her main allies — most notably thefar-right League — has dropped steadily
The government has embarked on one last-gasp legislative push, seeking to redraw the electoral law by introducing asystem that would give amajority bonus to any bloc winning more than42% ofthe vote
Critics say the change is designed to strengthen the conservative bloc's chances of staying in power
Meloni says it is aimed at providing renewed stability, whoever wins
The political landscape has changed since the law was devised, thanks to the emergence of anew far-right party led byanex-general, Roberto Vannacci,who has tapped into anxieties overimmigration,security andcultural change withlanguage that is markedlyblunter thanMeloni's
Apoll published byBiDiMediaonAugust26 putthecoalitionpartnersonjust5%
The broad centre-left camp, which is deeply divided overforeign policyandprone torelentless infighting, is hovering close to thevital42% threshold
AI-extracted; can misattribute a claim — see Methodology.
Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status is Contested when two claims on this page negate each other; otherwise it counts the distinct outlets we found asserting that specific claim — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.
Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimGiorgia Meloni's government on Friday becomes the longest-lasting in Italy's postwar history, overtaking a record of 1,412 consecutive days set by Silvio Berlusconi in 2005.
ClaimBerlusconi will remain the longest-serving Italian prime minister overall, with a tenure of about nine years over four terms between ̈1994 and ̈2011.
ClaimRoberto D'Alimonte, a professor of Italian politics at Rome's Luiss university, said: 'There is a genuine risk that we could return to the worst kind of a splintered parliament next time around'.
ClaimDeputy Foreign Minister Edmondo Cirielli, of Meloni's Brothers of Italy party, said the government had kept deficits and debt under control, while adding 1.2 million workers to the jobs market, pushing unemployment to under 6%.
ClaimLorenzo Codogno, a former chief economist at the Treasury and now head of LC Macro Advisors, said the cabinet had convinced investors it was committed to budget discipline and had curtailed costly policies of past administrations, notably the 'Superbonus' home renovation scheme.
ClaimLittle effort was made to shake up an inefficient public administration, the health service and education system, while all the government's institutional reforms, including handing more powers to the prime minister, have floundered.
ClaimLorenzo Pregliasco, head of YouTrend pollster, said 'Part of the reason Meloni has been able to stay in power for four years is that she did not try to change much or upset voters'.
ClaimMeloni focused on law and order, boosting police powersand cracking down on irregular immigration — a key electoral pledge — cutting the number of new arrivals to 66,316 last year from ,157,651 in ̈2023.
ClaimFrancesco Filini, the head of Brothers of Italy's policy programme, told Reuters: 'There has been the paradigm shift imposed by Giorgia Meloni in the management of illegal immigration'.
ClaimMeloni's standing abroad has been bruised by the collapse of her once-close ties with Donald Trump after the U.S. president accused her in April of lacking courage and letting the United States down in its war with Iran.
ClaimThe government has embarked on one last-gasp legislative push, seeking to redraw the electoral law by introducing a system that would give a majority bonus to any bloc winning more than 42% of the vote.
ClaimThe political landscape has changed since the law was devised, thanks to the emergence of a new far-right party led by an ex-general, Roberto Vannacci, who has tapped into anxieties over immigration, securityand cultural change with language that is markedly blunter than Meloni's.
ClaimThe broad centre-left camp, which is deeply divided over foreign policy and prone to relentless infighting, is hovering close to the vital 42% threshold.
ClaimThe record is likely to boost the prime minister's image as Italy, which has had almost 70 governments over the past 80 years, gears up for a national vote in 2027, analysts say.
ClaimThis year Meloni was undermined by a justice reform referendum defeat that showed voters there "may be an alternative majority" to the coalition currently in power, Pregliasco said.
ClaimWith plans to strengthen the powers of the prime minister and increase regional autonomy, the reform was one of three flagship coalition pledges that the government has so far failed to deliver.
ClaimThe government, which enjoys an ample parliamentary majority, has failed to tackle the structural issues that many believe hold Italy back, they say.
ClaimChiara Braga, the leader of the centre-left opposition Democratic Party's parliamentary group, said: 'This stability was not capitalised upon. It did not lead to any significant improvement in people's living standards or business competitiveness'.
ClaimSupporters counter that the administration has cut taxes and increased tax revenues, brought fiscal discipline to the highly indebted nation, and won Italy a more prominent role on the global stage at a fraught geopolitical time.
ClaimPolitically, Meloni's coalition risks bleeding voters to Roberto Vannacci, a former general who regularly bashes migrants and LGBTQ+ people. His newly-created Futuro Nazionale party pollsat around 7% and could emerge as a kingmaker next year.
ClaimSupport for the ruling alliance, which includes the far-right League of Matteo Salvini and conservative Forza Italia, is buoyed by perennial infighting within the left-leaning opposition and increasing abstentionism, analysts say.
ClaimIn August, Meloni was loudly booed at a sporting event in ̈Taranto,a southern city home to a giant steel plant plagued by economic and environmental challenges.
ClaimMaurizio, a sandal-wearing IT worker who preferred to give only his first name, said: 'Nothing has changed in Italy over the 45 years I've been on this planet and nothing will.'
ClaimAnnamaria, 67, a local pensioner and supporter of the prime minister, said: 'People expect to see improvement overnight. It takes time, but things are getting better'.
2 distinct · 4 mastheads · 4 articles consulted: Bangkok Post, The Japan Times, The Straits Times, The Star55 claims extractedVersion 1Written 2026-09-02