Italy's Premier Meloni gets boost with projected EU election win

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's far-right party won European elections in Italy with a sound 29% of votes, boosting her leadership at home and consolidating her kingmaker role in Europe.

Meloni’s Brothers of Italy confirmed its status as the country’s most popular party, even improving its performance from the 26% clinched in 2022 general election, according to projections by state broadcaster RAI based on almost 70% of votes counted.

"I take it as someone's message to say go ahead and do it, if possible with greater determination. A sign that I understand, a sign that I am ready to seize. And I’m proud that we are heading to the G7 and to Europe with the strongest government of all.” Meloni said, commenting the electoral results at her party’s headquarters early on Monday.

The European victory represents a domestic boost for Meloni, after almost two years in power, mainly at the expense of her governing partners in Rome.

In particular, Matteo Salvini’s hard-right League emerged as one of the biggest losers in the EU vote. After finishing first in the 2019 EU election, with more than 34%, the League now ends at 8.5%, behind its once junior ally Forza Italia at over 9%.

At the opposition, the main centre-left Democratic Party earned 24.5% of votes, followed by the populist Five Star Movement, which received only 10.5% of support, a seven-point decrease from the 2019 election.

“It seems to me that the Italian system is becoming a bipolar system again. This is good news because in a bipolar system there are distinct and opposing worldviews that confront each other, and on which citizens are being asked which side to be on. Today, the citizens they told us whose side they are, they are on our side and we must be able to grasp the meaning that that message has. Thanks to the Italians." Meloni said