Far-right leader Giorgia Meloni sworn in as Italian premier

Giorgia Meloni, whose political party with neo-fascist roots secured the most votes in Italy's national election last month, was sworn in on Saturday as the country's first far-right premier since the end of World War II. She is also the first woman to serve as premier.

Meloni, 45, recited the oath of office before President Sergio Mattarella, who on Friday formally asked her to form a government.

Her Brothers of Italy party, which she co-founded in 2012, will rule in coalition with the right-wing League of Matteo Salvini and the conservative Forza Italia headed by former Premier Silvio Berlusconi, whose parties had lost popularity with voters in recent years.

Meloni signed a pledge to be faithful to Italy's post-war republic, and Mattarella counter-signed it. As head of state, the president serves as guarantor of the Italian Constitution, drafted in the years immediately after the end of World War II and the demise of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.

The 24 ministers in Meloni's government also were sworn into office in a sumptuous room of the Quirinal Palace.

Meloni made no public comments in her first hours in office. She is expected to lay out her priorities when she pitches for support in Parliament ahead of confidence votes required of new governments next week.

The votes could indicate any cracks in the three-party coalition if any of Berlusconi or Salvini's lawmakers, perhaps disgruntled by not getting ministries they wanted for their parties, don’t rally behind her.

Meloni’s government replaces one led by Mario Draghi, a former European Central Bank chief who was appointed by Mattarella in 2021 to lead a pandemic national unity coalition. Meloni refused to join that coalition, insisting voters must decide the makeup of their governments.

During her campaign for the Sept. 25 election, Meloni insisted that national interests would prevail over European Union policies should there be conflict.

Salvini's right-wing League party has at times leaned euroskeptic. An admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Salvini has questioned the wisdom of EU sanctions against Russia for its invasion of

Ukraine, arguing that they risk hurting Italian business interests more than Russian ones.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sounded an upbeat note in a congratulatory tweet noting that Meloni was the first woman to hold the premiership.

"I count on and look forward to constructive cooperation with the new government on the challenges we face together,” the EU chief said.

Associated Press