Romano Prodi: “Populism can win in Europe”

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MAINTENANCE. After Giorgia Meloni’s victory in Italy, the former Commission President considers that populism is profiting from the stagnation of the EU.

Interview by Anna Bonalume

VSHow to explain the victory of the far-right Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) party, led by Giorgia Meloni, in the Italian legislative elections on September 25, with 26.4% of the votes cast? What will be the consequences of his coming to power for relations between Italy and France, and more broadly with the European Union? Are we facing a new authoritarian turn of one of the founding countries of Europe? Will this turn to the right spread across Europe?

Marked by record abstention, this election will above all have revealed in broad daylight the weaknesses of the Italian political system: party crisis, electoral law favoring the creation of coalitions, cult of the personality of leaders and, finally, a strong Italian society. .