Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s first far-right prime minister since World War II, has been capturing the attention of European leaders like Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Alexander Stille, a former editor at Italy’s Corriere della Sera and current journalism professor at Columbia University, explores the influences behind Meloni’s rise, including her mother, a romance novelist, and her time working with Silvio Berlusconi. Surprisingly, Meloni’s politics are also influenced by JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings books.
Michael Safi delves into Meloni’s support for Ukraine and NATO and her pragmatic political approach, which has garnered praise from European leaders. However, questions remain about her true intentions and the trajectory of far-right politics in Europe. If the trend continues, could Meloni’s policies turn out to be more extreme than anticipated?
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