America’s Next President Will Look to Italy for a European Leader

All roads lead to Rome — and Palazzo Chigi. Whoever is inaugurated president of America on January 20, 2025, must contend with Europe’s de facto leader, Giorgia Meloni.France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Olaf Scholz are debilitated pols. Herr Scholz’s governing coalition may collapse at any moment. The United Kingdom’s Keir Starmer is a newcomer to 10 Downing Street.Prime Minister Meloni of Italy, however, heads the Continent’s most stable government. A “rare paragon of stability” is how she is described in Anna Momigliano’s New York Times op-ed, which cites Pagella Politica, a top fact-checking website. Indeed, a comparative analysis of opinion polls since 2008 finds that Signora Meloni’s “cabinet’s approval ratings, while not stellar, have been consistent since her inauguration, a sharp contrast with most preceding governments.” In the two years following her 2022 election, Signora Meloni’s coalition “is already among the longest lasting in Italy’s history.” Moreover, the Premier’s indefatigability at home is matched by her adroitness on the world stage. Though she shares a conservative philosophy with the Republican Party— and has voiced an affinity for Donald Trump’s entrepreneurial message — Signora Meloni is a skilled politico who can jaw-jaw with ally and antagonist alike.Just ask the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. Or the former prime minister of the Netherlands and current NATO secretary general, Mark Rutte.Should Vice President Harris accede to the Oval Office, Signora. Meloni will be more than equal to the task of handling a neophyte American head of state. One can picture Giorgia informing Kamala that good governance involves more than rhapsodizing about hopes, dreams, and aspirations.Good governance calls for addressing issues forthrightly, creatively and with a clarity of purpose. Though Signora Meloni’s novel migration hub agreement with Albania has met with judicial resistance, it adheres to the principle that a nation’s borders are sacrosanct.Signora Meloni’s gambit, for all the brouhaha it has generated, is the European Union’s only viable solution to the scourge of human trafficking. Yet it wasn’t all that long ago that President Biden castigated the newly elected Prime Minister Meloni as a neo-fascist.Then Uncle Joe met Giorgia and found common ground — especially when it comes to Italy’s Atlanticist commitments. Though Ms. Momigliano labels Signora Meloni’s solidarity part of a cleverly crafted “double identity,” the writer concedes that the prime minister “has demonstrated unwavering support to Ukraine and NATO on the Russian invasion.”If President Trump returns to the White House and seeks to alter course vis-à-vis Kyiv, Signora Meloni is well-equipped to act as Europe’s key interlocutor.Given her conservative ideological profile — and the support of nearly 30 percent of Italy’s electorate — Signora Meloni can agree with Trump’s yearning for a negotiated peace deal to end the war in Ukraine by citing a mutually agreed upon policy: peace through strength.As a supporter of Ukraine’s sovereignty who is nonetheless cognizant of Kyiv fatigue in the West, Signora Meloni could prevail upon Trump to persuade Vladimir Putin that the arsenal of democracy and NATO are not pushovers.At the same time, Signora Meloni might then offer President Zelensky direct Italian economic assistance in rebuilding his shattered nation. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has alluded to such a possibility on numerous occasions.As for defense spending, Signora Meloni has vowed that Italy will endeavor to “do its best” to achieve the 2 percent target “according to our schedule and our possibilities.”Though this might not be doable by the 2028 NATO date, Prime Minister Meloni can point to Italy’s technological military prowess — especially when it comes to naval operations.As defensenews.com reported recently: “The Italian Navy is planning for a future in which swarms of airborne, surface and undersea drones will deploy from its ships and has challenged shipyard Fincantieri to build and adapt vessels which are ready for the task.”Whether it’s Trump 2.0 or the enigmatic Ms. Harris on Inauguration Day 2025, Italy’s centrality as a staunch American ally has been strengthened on Prime Minister Meloni’s watch.According to the Simon Anholt Nation Brands Index, which encompasses a country’s culture, economy and governance, the Magic Boot is the third-most-admired nation in the world. Giorgia Meloni will leverage Italy’s brand to lead.

America’s Next President Will Look to Italy for a European Leader

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