ANKARA/ROME – Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s far-right leader, declared victory in the country’s general elections early Monday.
Meloni remarked in her first post-election statement that Italians had delivered a “very clear message” that they want a “center-right administration led by the Brothers of Italy (Fdl).”
“This is the period of responsibility,” she said. “If you want to be a part of history, you have to recognize what obligation we have towards millions of people because Italy has chosen us and we will not betray it.”
Meloni has stated that if she leads a government, she will serve all Italians.
Meloni’s FdI is projected to receive the most votes. According to preliminary data from the Italian news agency ANSA, it has a 26.39 percent advantage.
Meloni received 4% of the vote in the 2018 elections.
According to ANSA, the right-wing alliance of the FdI, Matteo Salvini’s Lega, and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italy is anticipated to receive 43.64 percent of the vote, ensuring control of both houses of parliament.
On Twitter, Salvini stated that the coalition is “clearly in advantage both in the House and in the Senate,” adding, “it will be a long night, but I already want to say THANK YOU.”
With 27.28 percent, the center-left alliance led by Enrico Letta’s Democratic Party (PD) trailed well behind.
The PD, on the other hand, is predicted to come in second with 19.91 percent.
Former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s 5-Star Movement (M5S) is predicted to come in third place, with 14.87 percent of the vote.
According to “non-definitive data given by the Interior Ministry,” voter turnout “was 64 percent, down by roughly 10 points from the 2018 election.”
Meloni is destined to become Italy’s first female prime minister, and the country will have a far-right leader for the first time since World War II.
President Sergio Mattarella of Italy dissolved Parliament in July and called for an early election on September 25, thereby ending the government of Prime Minister Mario Draghi, which had lasted approximately a year and a half.
Nearly 51 million people are eligible to vote in what may be a decisive election, with more than 4 million Italians living abroad having voted as of Sunday.
In Italy, women account for 51% of votes out of a total population of 59 million.
Voters aged 18 and up will also be permitted to vote for members of Parliament’s upper chamber, a first in Italian history made possible by the Senate’s approval. They are already able to vote in the lower chamber of parliament.
Voting began at 7 a.m. local time around the country (0500GMT).
The Italian people voted to elect 200 senators and 400 deputies to the Italian Parliament.
Source: Anadolu