Giorgia Meloni sworn in as Italy's new prime minister
The leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, was sworn in today as the new prime minister, the first woman in that post in the country's history, in an official ceremony before the head of state, Sergio Mattarella.
"I swear to be faithful to the Republic, to loyally fulfil the Constitution and the laws, and to exercise my mandate and my functions in the exclusive interest of the nation," she said before the head of state in the Salone delle Festas of the Quirinal Palace in Rome. Then Meloni, dressed in a black suit, signed the decree of her appointment and shook Mattarella's hand, then stood on his left to preside over the swearing in of her 24 ministers.
Giuramento del nuovo Governo. Seguiteci in diretta: https://t.co/2JnqHVFDCv pic.twitter.com/TFy16u7bca
— Giorgia Meloni ?? ن (@GiorgiaMeloni) October 22, 2022
The first to do so were its two vice presidents, Matteo Salvini and Antonio Tajani, respective exponents of the far-right League and the conservative Forza Italia, the other two parties in the right-wing coalition that won the 25 September elections. Salvini will also hold the portfolio for Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility, and Tajani that of Foreign Affairs.
The swearing-in was attended by all the ministers and, as protocol dictates, the undersecretary of the government presidency, Alfredo Mantovano, one of the most influential posts in the cabinet and who will take office during the first Council of Ministers this Sunday, was absent.
The ceremony was also attended by the families of the members of the new government, and Meloni's partner, journalist Andrea Giambruno, and their five-year-old daughter Ginevra, could be seen in the front row.
In diretta dopo le #consultazioni con il Presidente della Repubblica pic.twitter.com/Ej2W5vVwfK
— Giorgia Meloni ?? ن (@GiorgiaMeloni) October 21, 2022
Meloni's government is divided between the three parties of the right-wing coalition that won the general election on 25 September: eight ministers from the FdI, four from Matteo Salvini's far-right League and five from Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia, as well as nine technical experts.
This Sunday, the transfer of power will be staged with outgoing Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Meloni presiding over the Council of Ministers for the first time. Then it will be time for the investiture of the executive in the two houses of parliament, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, a formality since the right has an absolute majority.
