In the end, the intuition was correct. Yesterday’s editorial about Meloni, based largely on a fleeting observation at the end of a dinner, has proven to be prophetic—journalistically speaking. According to Politico, an international outlet, Giorgia Meloni is now the most powerful woman in Europe.
The argument circles back to the celebration for the newly restored Notre Dame. When Trump or Musk come to Europe, who do they talk to? Scholz, unseated and grappling with the automotive crisis? Macron, a balancing-act president facing one political crisis after another? Certainly not. Instead, there’s a woman—the first female Prime Minister of her country—who leads a stable government, won the European elections, maintains an economically balanced situation, and has upheld a consistent, Atlanticist position on Ukraine.
Most notably, despite her right-wing opposition history, Meloni has not fallen into the anti-European trap. She engages with Von der Leyen on governance, economics, and migration, becoming a key figure of reference. Her primacy seems poised to grow, provided she resists the pull of sovereigntist temptations that she also faces at home.
Her opposition in Italy must come to terms with this reality: it’s not the international narrative that can undermine her. The era of the underdog is over—now she’s playing with the giants!
