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Meloni’s record, Bari rally
Giorgia Meloni’s government became Italy’s longest-serving uninterrupted government since World War II on Thursday, after 1,413 days, surpassing the record set by Silvio Berlusconi between 2001 and 2005.
“after 1,413 days — nearly four years — Meloni’s conservative administration became Italy’s longest-serving uninterrupted government”
The milestone is set to be celebrated on Friday with a large preelection rally in the southern city of Bari, where the event marks the opening of the long election campaign for the 2027 parliamentary elections.
The Reuters-style framing in the coverage ties the longevity to a broader political contest, with the question shifting to whether voters believe the government delivered enough to deserve another term.
Multiple outlets describe the celebration as a party-led showcase, with Fratelli d’Italia preparing a 28-page document titled “Più stabilità per un’Italia più forte” and an event at Bari port featuring a final address by Meloni scheduled for 7:15 PM.
The Italian government’s longevity is also described as a break from the instability seen elsewhere in Europe, with Euronews contrasting it with France and the United Kingdom, which replaced prime ministers multiple times in the same period.
Competing claims on results
Fratelli d’Italia’s document and party messaging emphasize employment and unemployment figures, including a claim that the number of employed people rose to 24.3 million and unemployment fell to 5.8%.
RaiNews also says the party highlights a narrowing of the spread to 80 basis points and a shrinking deficit, while it frames the Superbonus as a factor that slowed the deficit’s decline.
Opposition voices challenge the majority’s accounting, with Democratic Party secretary Elly Schlein accusing Meloni of “locking herself in the palace without listening to the country.”
The Senate Democrats’ president Francesco Boccia attacked the cost-of-living impact in a direct quote, saying, “The price of green gasoline reaches 2.124 euros per liter, gas bills in August rose by 6.9%; I wonder if in Bari the government will celebrate these records,”
Luca Pirondini of the Five Star Movement countered with a blunt assessment, saying, “This is not longevity, this is cruelty.”
What’s at stake for 2027
Several outlets tie the longevity milestone to the approach of the next election, with the question of whether Meloni can convert stability into electoral support by the end of 2027.
““If you have five years in office and not much to show when you go back to voters, it can weigh against you,””
KSAT reports that the election is due by the end of 2027 and quotes Nathalie Tocci warning that “If you have five years in office and not much to show when you go back to voters, it can weigh against you,”.
AFP coverage quoted by Ici Beyrouth adds that a referendum defeat on judicial reform showed voters “an alternative majority” could exist to the ruling ultra-conservative coalition.
The same AFP material says the Meloni coalition’s grip on power risks pushing part of its electorate toward Roberto Vannacci’s Futuro Nazionale, which polls around 7%, while also pointing to low turnout in 2022 and 2024 European elections.
In the lead-up to the Bari celebration, the stakes are framed as both domestic and European, with Marco Osnato telling AFP that “In terms of foreign policy, Italy has never occupied such a central place, notably in Europe,” as Rome positions itself as a major actor in Brussels.