Premier Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party won Italy’s European elections with 28.9% of the vote, according to the most recent estimations after the voting boxes closed late on Sunday.
That is even better than FdI’s 26% victory in the 2022 general election, which propelled her to power.
“It’s an even more beautiful night than two years ago,” Meloni stated in an address early Monday.
The opposition center-left Democratic Party (PD), led by another woman, Elly Schlein, also did well, finishing second with 24.5%, according to estimations.Schlein called the outcome a “extraordinary result”.
The other major opposition party, the 5-Star Movement (M5S), finished third with 10.5%.Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani’s Forza Italia (FI) and Noi Moderati are projected to lead the ruling centre-right alliance with 9.2%, followed by Transport Minister Matteo Salvini’s League with 8.5%.
It was the first nationwide vote since the death of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, the founder of FI, last year. The Green-Left Alliance (AVS) was at 6.8%, much above the 4% level required to elect MEPs.However, the United States of Europe (SUE) list submitted by former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and former Foreign Minister and European Commissioner Emma Bonino was just under 4%, while another centrist group, former Industry Minister Carlo Calenda’s Azione, was also below the admission limit at 3.2%.
Azione and Renzi’s Italia Viva (IV) party formed the ‘Third Pole’ in the 2022 general election, winning more than 7% of the vote.
