Meloni becomes longest-serving PM after historic victory over Berlusconi

Supporters are gathering in Abetone Cutigliano to celebrate a historic moment for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Located deep within the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, this mountain resort has become the scene of jubilation on Friday as her party secured Italy's longest-serving government since World War II. The achievement marks a sharp turn from the nation's usual political chaos.

Italy is known for its instability, cycling through 68 different governments in just eight decades. While the late Silvio Berlusconi once held the title with four terms totaling more time in office than anyone else, Meloni has now surpassed his specific record of 1,412 consecutive days leading the country. Her administration has taken that spot from him.

Abetone Cutigliano played a key role in this shift. The town voted overwhelmingly for Meloni's party during the national elections back in October 2022. Andrea Tonarelli, who serves as a councillor for the local branch of Brothers of Italy and works as an engineer for the municipality, is helping organize a seafront celebration to mark the milestone. Those unable to attend the main event will instead watch from the party's local office.

For Tonarelli, this result feels like a "point of pride." He admits he feels emotional about it but insists the credit belongs to the people who could connect with his generation.

"Ten years ago, this result would have been unthinkable," Tonarelli said. "I feel emotional saying this, but the merit goes to those people who were able to get hold of the youth like me."

The 35-year-old self-proclaimed mountain dweller joined Brothers of Italy in 2017. He was drawn into the movement by its opposition to what he calls the left's "armchair environmentalism," a stance that restricts hunting, blocks major infrastructure projects, and bans selective logging. He also supports the party's patriotic focus on putting Italians first through strict border protection and promoting local goods and traditional heritage.

"Our main characteristic is believing in what we do and giving it our 100 percent," he told Al Jazeera. "This is not a milestone reached by Giorgia Meloni, by the party, or by a single militant. This is a milestone by an entire community that makes history in this nation."

Grazia Di Maggio, the youngest member of the Chamber of Deputies for Brothers of Italy at just 31 years old, calls the longevity record "profoundly symbolic." She notes that Meloni is the first woman to hold the office of prime minister and comes from a right-wing background. This history means there are no shortcuts or favoritism involved.

Di Maggio grew up in the southern region of Basilicata before leaving home at 18 to pursue a degree in communications in Milan. Her political career started with leafleting. She views Meloni's success as proof that passion, sacrifice, and personal value can change things.

"Giorgia Meloni is the first woman to hold the office of prime minister and she comes from a right-wing background, which means no shortcuts and no favouritism," Di Maggio said. "It's a story that shows that passion, sacrifice and personal value can make a difference."

Meloni has worked hard to distance herself from fascism, declaring in 2022 that the Italian right had handed that ideology over to history. Yet even as supporters cheer this record-breaking duration, some analysts warn that longevity does not automatically equal stability. The government's endurance remains a subject of intense scrutiny amid broader questions about what it truly means for Italy to finally settle after decades of turmoil.

It demonstrates that a right-wing government can be credible, stable and uphold its responsibilities." Brothers of Italy claims this newfound political stability now. But analysts question whether it means progress or just standing still. "Political stability is not measured by the government's longevity," said Paolo Carusi. He teaches contemporary history at Roma Tre University. Speaking to Al Jazeera, he told the story differently. In previous decades, governments fell but ideologies remained stalwart, he noted. The current scene looks different entirely. Italians feel numb toward voting now. When they do vote, they often reward new parties that run for the first time. Carusi argued two main factors allowed Meloni's government to survive longer than others before it. First, Italy's latest electoral law helped her greatly. It dates back to 2018 and applied to the 2022 election that brought Meloni to power. That law worked in her favor by allowing the right-wing coalition to obtain an absolute majority. Second, Brothers of Italy gave up much of its own electoral programme. They did this to maintain stability instead of alienating partners like previous governments had done. Those earlier groups pursued their own agendas and pushed coalition members aside. Now Meloni faces a threat from within. A new far-right party led by former army general Roberto Vannacci is rising fast. It launched just seven months ago but already became the country's fourth most popular political force. This rapid ascent worries observers. In the upcoming 2027 general election, Vannacci's National Future will be able to claim a specific title. "They can claim to be the only true upholder of right-wing values," Carusi said. Political scientist Piero Ignazi sees things another way. He lectures at the University of Bologna and warns that longevity signals stasis rather than growth. "Stability can be useful to create change, or it can be a way to remain static or even shift into reverse," the analyst explained. He argues the latter describes Meloni's government trajectory right now. Italy's economy remains fragile under these conditions. Forecasts project its growth at a lacklustre 0.6 percent in 2026. Next year, it is expected to rank last in growth and first in public debt within the European Union. Alongside this economic struggle, social policies are also a cause for concern, Ignazi said. The government has reformed laws to criminalize actions that previously resulted only in fines or civil penalties. "The government introduced 52 new felonies and all of them have to do with the expression of public dissent and the right to protest," he stated. This marks a dangerous setback in his view. He believes it is the harbinger of more trouble if another right-wing government is elected later.