Giorgia Meloni Set To Become Italy's First Female Prime Minister

[Tindaro Martino Curione]

As we wait to hear what will come of Meloni's visit to Washington, Italy is burning and flooding, and the main stream news is rife with discussions that sound much like what we heard during COVID. Let's hype up the public to believe we have a crisis that could necessitate a declaration of a State of Emergency, giving the government dictatorial powers. I personally don't believe Meloni will go to that extent; not only would be very unpopular, but I think she saw through the facade of what the former governments had done with that tactic.

Meanwhile, many around the world are wondering about this unusual, as well as historical, figure in Italian politics. The first woman to become Prime Minister of Italy. Some will be convinced of the old idea that women would govern better than men because of their motherly instincts, and of course we saw how well that went with The Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher; while others will go to the other extreme of believing that Meloni is weak precisely because she is a woman, and hence will not last long. Well, I suppose with Italy's track record for over a decade now, it seems like no one lasts long around here anymore. Meloni will probably change that now. After the national elections, she was able to form her government with the much needed assistance of Salvini and Berlusconi, but Berlusconi is no longer with us, so the playing field has changed considerably. After the national elections came the regional elections, and Meloni's party Brothers and Sisters of Italy, gained a lot of ground in the regions. Just as an aside, Fratelli d'Italia is inaccurately translated as Brothers of Italy, perhaps intentionally, but within the context of this phrase, "fratelli" actually means "siblings," hence Brothers and Sisters! So now we just had our municipal elections, and the trend continues. At this rate, it looks like we may actually reach the next national election cycle, with Meloni taking a decisive victory, perhaps even without the need to form a coalition. Then again, Italian politics are extremely unpredictable, and it would seem that Meloni has made her fair share of enemies.

Meloni is a woman; Meloni is a mother; Meloni has had her disappointments with men. This may not seem like a big deal outside of Italy, but in this mysterious nation, with it's long history, there is much that is not seen by the outside world.

Italian men, culturally, are male chauvinists, sexists, misogynists, and ironically, a bunch of mamma's boys! Hopefully my Italian brothers who are more honest about life in Italy will not be offended. We actually have an Italian word - femicidio - which translates into femicide; a word that I had never heard of, nor used, in my life in the English language. Over the years, I have become accustomed to hearing it all the time, as the news is always full of the latest murder of some female by a male, who tends to be some jealous boyfriend or partner.

And now, I suppose, as karma would have it, we have a woman Prime Minister, and a nation of men full of guilt and shame for how we have been treating women for so long. How ironic that Silvio Berlusconi, world renowned sexist, helped Meloni become Italy's first female Prime Minister, perhaps believing he could easily control and manipulate her, as he was caught in a private recording saying that he was still in control. I believe the release of those recordings to the public, marked the end of his career. Karma?

Within the context of this culture, I believe Meloni is well aware of the power she has, as a result of this underlying guilt and shame within Italian men. She will surely use this to her advantage. I watch her in debates, and can see how measured the men are in their responses, for fear of being disrespectful towards a woman - or rather Italy's First Mamma. Italian men are seeking redemption, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. And Meloni is not being rude or ill-mannered towards men; she's actually quite measured herself. But I say all this to say that the playing field has considerably shifted.

But to there credit, Italian men are hyper-protective of their mothers. We live with many dichotomies here in Italy. So Brussels needs to be very careful with their "warnings." Meloni didn't flinch when Ursula von der Leyen launched her ridiculous threats. In fact, Salvini publicly responded with the sentiment of most Italians... don't threaten us! Why? Because we have a powerful card in our hand, a referendum to exit the EU! Something that Meloni knows that Italians would support en masse.

 

[heinrich]

As we wait to hear what will come of Meloni's visit to Washington, Italy is burning and flooding, and the main stream news is rife with discussions that sound much like what we heard during COVID. Let's hype up the public to believe we have a crisis that could necessitate a declaration of a State of Emergency, giving the government dictatorial powers. I personally don't believe Meloni will go to that extent; not only would be very unpopular, but I think she saw through the facade of what the former governments had done with that tactic.

Meanwhile, many around the world are wondering about this unusual, as well as historical, figure in Italian politics. The first woman to become Prime Minister of Italy. Some will be convinced of the old idea that women would govern better than men because of their motherly instincts, and of course we saw how well that went with The Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher; while others will go to the other extreme of believing that Meloni is weak precisely because she is a woman, and hence will not last long. Well, I suppose with Italy's track record for over a decade now, it seems like no one lasts long around here anymore. Meloni will probably change that now. After the national elections, she was able to form her government with the much needed assistance of Salvini and Berlusconi, but Berlusconi is no longer with us, so the playing field has changed considerably. After the national elections came the regional elections, and Meloni's party Brothers and Sisters of Italy, gained a lot of ground in the regions. Just as an aside, Fratelli d'Italia is inaccurately translated as Brothers of Italy, perhaps intentionally, but within the context of this phrase, "fratelli" actually means "siblings," hence Brothers and Sisters! So now we just had our municipal elections, and the trend continues. At this rate, it looks like we may actually reach the next national election cycle, with Meloni taking a decisive victory, perhaps even without the need to form a coalition. Then again, Italian politics are extremely unpredictable, and it would seem that Meloni has made her fair share of enemies.

Meloni is a woman; Meloni is a mother; Meloni has had her disappointments with men. This may not seem like a big deal outside of Italy, but in this mysterious nation, with it's long history, there is much that is not seen by the outside world.

Italian men, culturally, are male chauvinists, sexists, misogynists, and ironically, a bunch of mamma's boys! Hopefully my Italian brothers who are more honest about life in Italy will not be offended. We actually have an Italian word - femicidio - which translates into femicide; a word that I had never heard of, nor used, in my life in the English language. Over the years, I have become accustomed to hearing it all the time, as the news is always full of the latest murder of some female by a male, who tends to be some jealous boyfriend or partner.

And now, I suppose, as karma would have it, we have a woman Prime Minister, and a nation of men full of guilt and shame for how we have been treating women for so long. How ironic that Silvio Berlusconi, world renowned sexist, helped Meloni become Italy's first female Prime Minister, perhaps believing he could easily control and manipulate her, as he was caught in a private recording saying that he was still in control. I believe the release of those recordings to the public, marked the end of his career. Karma?

Within the context of this culture, I believe Meloni is well aware of the power she has, as a result of this underlying guilt and shame within Italian men. She will surely use this to her advantage. I watch her in debates, and can see how measured the men are in their responses, for fear of being disrespectful towards a woman - or rather Italy's First Mamma. Italian men are seeking redemption, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. And Meloni is not being rude or ill-mannered towards men; she's actually quite measured herself. But I say all this to say that the playing field has considerably shifted.

But to there credit, Italian men are hyper-protective of their mothers. We live with many dichotomies here in Italy. So Brussels needs to be very careful with their "warnings." Meloni didn't flinch when Ursula von der Leyen launched her ridiculous threats. In fact, Salvini publicly responded with the sentiment of most Italians... don't threaten us! Why? Because we have a powerful card in our hand, a referendum to exit the EU! Something that Meloni knows that Italians would support en masse.

i simply LOVE meloni. her speech on the cfa to macr was delicious. we are fed up of restrained polite responses. this woman is GREAT...

 

[Tindaro Martino Curione]

i simply LOVE meloni. her speech on the cfa to macr was delicious. we are fed up of restrained polite responses. this woman is GREAT...

A couple of years ago, during the so-called pandemic, I found myself shopping for some groceries in a large supermarket. There was a small stand with some best-selling books on sale, and one of the book titles caught my attention. It was written by a well known television host of a national forum for politics by the name of Bruno Vespa. The title of the book was Perché l'Italia Amò Mussolini. My knee jerk reaction was to feel offended. Here we are in the middle of a medical and global dictatorship, and someone writes a book called, "Why Italy Loved Mussolini!" I never read the book, nor did I notice the subtitle at the time, but I spent the rest of the day thinking about that title. Then I began to remember having seen documentaries and read statements of how the Germans loved Hitler. Of course, many Italians did love Mussolini, and many young people today live with the sentiment, "If Mussolini were in charge today, we wouldn't have all these problem!" On the outside of a dictatorship, it is easy to see the evils of a nation ruled by such a government, but from within, a desperate people are looking for a savior, someone to fix the problems.

I'm also reminded of the concept of Mass Formation Psychosis, which was popular in the independent media during the COVID fiasco. I never studied the actual concept, but I remember how it was being described, and it made a lot of sense. A people are so stressed and fearful in the face of a crisis, that whatever is offered as a possible solution becomes acceptable. I'm not suggesting that Giorgia Meloni is not a good solution to our nation's political and economic crisis, but I am suggesting that part of this love and fascination with her is influenced by this desperate need that humanity has to find a way out of these horrible times, much like in the 1930s when Benito Mussolini came to power in Italy, and subsequently influenced Adolf Hilter to apply Mussolini's strategies in Germany.

And the people loved them! They beefed up the military and paraded them through the streets. Meloni may not be parading the military through the streets, but she is certainly beefing them up and parading them on social media. Since she's been Prime Minister, more than 1,300 members of Italy's organized crime have been arrested, including the top Mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro, also known as Diabolik. This justifies more spending for defense. The famous Ponte di Messina (a bridge that will connect Italy and Sicily between the provinces of Reggio Calabria and Messina) used to be a joke, but now is no longer a laughing matter, as Matteo Salvini is pushing to finally have it built. It was supposed to be for the economy, but since Meloni's private dinner with NATO's Stoltenberg, we are hearing that the bridge can be used to move military vehicles and troops.

I'm not comparing Meloni to Mussolini or Hitler, that wouldn't be reasonable at this stage. I'm just being cautious and aware. When the pipes burst in my home, I call a plumber to do the job; when something goes wrong with the wiring in my house, I call an electrician to do the job. I pay them, and am grateful for a job well done; I don't love them. I don't love Meloni, nor do I want Italy or the world to love her, although that is certainly anyone's prerogative; I just want her to do her job as best she can, and to see that she is appreciated for the problems that she manages to solve, or the courage that she is able to muster up during these difficult times.

 

[heinrich]

A couple of years ago, during the so-called pandemic, I found myself shopping for some groceries in a large supermarket. There was a small stand with some best-selling books on sale, and one of the book titles caught my attention. It was written by a well known television host of a national forum for politics by the name of Bruno Vespa. The title of the book was Perché l'Italia Amò Mussolini. My knee jerk reaction was to feel offended. Here we are in the middle of a medical and global dictatorship, and someone writes a book called, "Why Italy Loved Mussolini!" I never read the book, nor did I notice the subtitle at the time, but I spent the rest of the day thinking about that title. Then I began to remember having seen documentaries and read statements of how the Germans loved Hitler. Of course, many Italians did love Mussolini, and many young people today live with the sentiment, "If Mussolini were in charge today, we wouldn't have all these problem!" On the outside of a dictatorship, it is easy to see the evils of a nation ruled by such a government, but from within, a desperate people are looking for a savior, someone to fix the problems.

I'm also reminded of the concept of Mass Formation Psychosis, which was popular in the independent media during the COVID fiasco. I never studied the actual concept, but I remember how it was being described, and it made a lot of sense. A people are so stressed and fearful in the face of a crisis, that whatever is offered as a possible solution becomes acceptable. I'm not suggesting that Giorgia Meloni is not a good solution to our nation's political and economic crisis, but I am suggesting that part of this love and fascination with her is influenced by this desperate need that humanity has to find a way out of these horrible times, much like in the 1930s when Benito Mussolini came to power in Italy, and subsequently influenced Adolf Hilter to apply Mussolini's strategies in Germany.

And the people loved them! They beefed up the military and paraded them through the streets. Meloni may not be parading the military through the streets, but she is certainly beefing them up and parading them on social media. Since she's been Prime Minister, more than 1,300 members of Italy's organized crime have been arrested, including the top Mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro, also known as Diabolik. This justifies more spending for defense. The famous Ponte di Messina (a bridge that will connect Italy and Sicily between the provinces of Reggio Calabria and Messina) used to be a joke, but now is no longer a laughing matter, as Matteo Salvini is pushing to finally have it built. It was supposed to be for the economy, but since Meloni's private dinner with NATO's Stoltenberg, we are hearing that the bridge can be used to move military vehicles and troops.

I'm not comparing Meloni to Mussolini or Hitler, that wouldn't be reasonable at this stage. I'm just being cautious and aware. When the pipes burst in my home, I call a plumber to do the job; when something goes wrong with the wiring in my house, I call an electrician to do the job. I pay them, and am grateful for a job well done; I don't love them. I don't love Meloni, nor do I want Italy or the world to love her, although that is certainly anyone's prerogative; I just want her to do her job as best she can, and to see that she is appreciated for the problems that she manages to solve, or the courage that she is able to muster up during these difficult times.

i fully agree.it is refreshing to have meloni manage her italy like she surely manahes her family. she does the job, while still bring in common sense. so, i really love her. just compare with other, german, female politicians...

 

[Tindaro Martino Curione]

i fully agree.it is refreshing to have meloni manage her italy like she surely manahes her family. she does the job, while still bring in common sense. so, i really love her. just compare with other, german, female politicians...

Absolutely! And I actually feel a sense of pride when you say that you love her, despite my previous comments. Being Italian, I have seen nothing but disappointment after disappointment within Italian politics for too many years now!

And I agree, credit has to be given where credit is due. Meloni is managing a real mess that has been left behind by the previous administrations. I often hear her challenging the opposition by reminding them that many of the problems she is having to face now are as a result of years of mismanagement, and outright lack of concern for the average citizen. I believe Meloni is a loving mother, and that she actually sees herself in the role of the "nation's mother." I saw a few videos where she was making her rounds visiting our troops, and on one occasion, they presented her with a gift, and she shed some tears. On another occasion, she was presented with another gift, and she wanted to hug the officer, but was told that it was against regulations; to which she responded, "Sorry, mother's instincts!"

I also believe that her public statement, "Non sono ricattaible! (I can't be blackmailed!)," has to do, in part, with what you mentioned... how she manages her family, and the love she has for them. I believe that Giorgia Meloni has nothing to loss, but in a positive way. She doesn't have a scandalous history; she co-created her own party, hence has no one to answer to; she's from Italy's Nomad Generation (see Howe & Strauss for generational archetypes); and she has no need to bow down to anyone, nor to compete with men.

You're right, many former women like Thatcher, Merkel, Clinton, etc. have chosen to try to be masculine in their decision making. This is where Meloni has changed the playing field, but for reasons that I mentioned in my previous comments; namely, the cultural influence of how Italian men and women have have viewed their roles. Italian men are seeking redemption for how they have, and continue, to behave with their male chauvinism, sexism and misogyny; and women are seeking redemption for how they have allowed themselves to be treated as inferior, and for how they have paraded themselves as sexual objects.

During the press conference that followed the recent meeting with Biden, Meloni was asked, "How did it feel to be the underdog in the room?" To which she responded, "I'm no Cinderella! I know well the nation I represent!" And there are two important keys there. Many men and women in Italy have felt, and feel, like underdogs for too many years now. And to see Meloni hold her head high, and as you mentioned in your previous comment about how delicious her response to Macron was, she speaks her mind without telepromters or speechwriters; this allows many Italian men and women to feel a vicarious satisfaction. More so men than women because men have to be covert about those feelings of satisfaction. Why? Because Italian men, young and old, underestimate women, and so they see Meloni as an "underdog," but they themselves know that they have been underdogs for years, and so there's an unspoken admiration for her, for the very reason you brought up:

we are fed up of restrained polite responses.

But there's another important factor in her response, "I know well the nation I represent!" Italy has been a much needed "puppet nation" for the USA, NATO and the EU for decades now, and Meloni knows well that these shadowy entities desperately need her to continue to tow the line, and they are walking on eggshells trying to figure out if she's going to bow or not?!

A: Wait and see!