by MK
Last Tuesday, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing coalition quietly reached a milestone that few Italian governments have achieved: it became the fourth longest-serving in the 79-year history of the republic.
With 1,025 days in office since its swearing-in on October 22, 2022, the coalition has now outlasted the government of Matteo Renzi, Italy’s former center-left prime minister. Renzi’s Democratic Party–led cabinet governed for 1,024 days between 2014 and 2016, a stretch once considered relatively long by Italy’s political standards.
In a brief social media post marking the occasion, Ms. Meloni wrote, “All the more reason to continue working with dedication and determination, repaying the trust of Italians.”
The durability of her government — led by her nationalist Brothers of Italy party and propped up by coalition partners Matteo Salvini of the League and Antonio Tajani of Forza Italia — is notable in a country that has seen 68 governments in just under eight decades. But as the coalition nears its three-year mark, the question lingers: does longevity signal stability, or simply a pause before Italy’s next political upheaval?
Italy’s recent history offers a mixed picture. The country’s longest-serving postwar government was Silvio Berlusconi’s second cabinet, which remained in power for nearly four years (1,412 days) between 2001 and 2005. Mr. Berlusconi also claims second place on the list, with his fourth government lasting 1,287 days. In third is Bettino Craxi’s first socialist-led administration, which endured for 1,093 days in the mid-1980s.
Ms. Meloni’s coalition still falls short of those benchmarks. Yet its staying power suggests that, for now, her alliance — a blend of nationalism, populism and traditional conservatism — retains cohesion despite the ideological differences among its leaders.
That cohesion may be tested in the months ahead, as Italy confronts sluggish economic growth, persistent demographic decline, and questions over its role in Europe amid wars on the continent’s borders. For Ms. Meloni, the milestone invites a broader inquiry: is her government redefining expectations of political durability in Italy, or is it simply defying gravity until the next crisis reshapes the country’s leadership once again?
