Making Italy Great Again: Giorgia Meloni’s Leadership on Display at the Atreju Festival
Yesterday, Giorgia Meloni made a significant political contribution to the Atreju festival. Below is Meloni’s concluding speech at the conference. Her speech, delivered in Italian, demonstrates her leadership qualities and exceptional oratory skills, underscoring her vision for making Italy great again.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni touched on various topics in her speech, reflecting her government’s policies and vision for Italy’s future. What follows is a summary of what she said.
Meloni opened her speech thanking the audience and her allies
“Thank you for your contagious enthusiasm; we need it. How beautiful you are, how much strength you give us…”
“Thank you for being here again this year, as you have been for the past 26 years. It’s a time that feels long for us but is practically a geological era for Italian politics: it was 1998, it was the Colle Oppio park, and Atreju was the challenge of a generation that gave its all in an attempt to overcome prejudices and ideological barriers.”
“It’s a different world seen from here, from today, but it’s our world. We must remember this because no one who doesn’t know how to look back can claim to move forward.”
“Each of us is aware of the responsibility we bear, and we will honour the task given to us by Italians in this nation until the very last day. We will reach the end of the government term united and go beyond,” added the Prime Minister and FdI leader from the Atreju stage.
“It’s normal and right to debate ideas, but those hoping that any of us will put our own fate before that of the nation will be disappointed. And disappointing the left is our favourite sport.”
On Government Stability and Reforms
Meloni emphasised the importance of government stability, attributing it to the unity within the majority. She stated that this stability ensures international credibility and is essential for producing well-being. She also outlined upcoming reforms, including introducing a premiership, differentiated autonomy, tax reform, and justice reform, indicating a comprehensive agenda for the coming year. Her exact words were:
“The stability of this government, stemming from the unity of its majority, is the greatest element of discontinuity and strength in the current framework. Stability ensures international credibility and authority without which it’s impossible to produce well-being.”
“The geopolitical landscape was and remains terribly complicated, so much so that many bet on our failure and ended up backing the wrong horse.”
“Instead, it’s an Italy that is running and surprising again, moving from being a special observer to a model to follow on many fronts. This is not only the government’s merit but also that of Italians, who are discovering today how politics can be an ally.”
Healthcare Investments
Addressing criticisms regarding healthcare spending, Meloni highlighted that her government has allocated the highest funding for healthcare to date. She noted an increase of 10 billion euros over the past two years, compared to the 8 billion euro increase over the previous four years before her administration. This, she argued, demonstrates her government’s commitment to enhancing the healthcare system.
“The calculation isn’t difficult; you can do it even without a calculator what did not go well last time… The increase is 10 billion over the past two years. Before this government, when those who are now saying we don’t spend enough were in charge, the healthcare fund increased by 8 billion over four years. With what face do they say we haven’t done well? It would help if you had a calculator. It’s not even 10 billion but 12 because you must add those from the cohesion agreements and 750 million euros from the PNRR revision.”
Employment Growth
Meloni proudly announced the creation of nearly 1 million jobs in almost two years, referencing the late Silvio Berlusconi’s goal of creating a million jobs. She suggested that Berlusconi would be proud of the government’s achievements.
Critique of CGIL and Landini
The Prime Minister criticised CGIL General Secretary Maurizio Landini, accusing him of raising the tone due to weak arguments and suggesting that recent strikes were intended to support the left rather than workers. She condemned his “incitement to social revolt,” describing his language as unprecedented in Italian trade union history.
The exact warning of Meloni to the CGIL was the following:
“We understand the difficulty of CGIL General Secretary Maurizio Landini, who is forced to raise the tone because his arguments are weak and also because he can’t admit that the strikes aren’t to help workers but the left. This has been the story for a long time: those who help the left don’t help workers.”
Stellantis and Industrial Relations
Regarding industrial relations, Meloni stated that her government’s approach differs from that of the Left, emphasising that her administration is showing no prejudice and favouritism. She expressed willingness to collaborate constructively with companies like Stellantis to defend employment and promote growth while subtly criticising opposition parties for their perceived absence in such efforts.
“We have no prejudices, nor do we play favourites; this applies to Stellantis and other companies. If the approach is constructive, we will do our part as we have so far because when it comes to defending employment and growth, you’ll find us in the front row.”
Migration and Centers in Albania
On the topic of migration, Meloni defended the establishment of migrant centres in Albania, asserting her commitment to combating human trafficking and organised crime. She called on the Italian state and its citizens to support these efforts, positioning herself as an ally in the fight against the mafia.
“The centres for migrants in Albania will work, even if I have to spend every night there until the end of the Italian government. Because I want to fight the mafia, I ask the Italian state and decent people to help me fight the mafia. I’m not the enemy; I’m a decent person,” the Prime Minister said, raising her voice and triggering applause from the audience.
European Leadership and Resignation from ECR Presidency
Meloni announced her intention to resign from the presidency of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Party, stating that the party deserves a president who can dedicate themselves full-time. She supported her friend Mateusz Morawiecki as a potential successor, signalling a continued commitment to influencing European politics.
Response to Romano Prodi
In response to comments from former Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who suggested that the establishment favours Meloni because she is obedient, she criticised Prodi’s past actions, including privatising IRI and Italy’s entry into the Euro. She argued that her government’s approach opposes such obedience, advocating for national and European interests.
“Romano Prodi said: the establishment adores Meloni because she obeys. I want to tell Romano Prodi that several things he did in his life, from the sell-off of IRI to how Italy entered the Euro to the decisive role in China’s entry into the WTO, show that he knows quite a bit about obedience. From people like him, we’ve learned that obedience doesn’t benefit the nation or Europe, and we’ve made a diametrically opposite choice.”
Acknowledgement of Arianna Meloni
With a touch of irony, Meloni thanked her sister, Arianna, for organising the Atreju event, humorously referencing the various appointments and responsibilities attributed to her. This acknowledgement highlighted the close-knit nature of her political circle and family involvement.
This is what Meloni had to say about her sister. What she is saying has to be taken tongue-in-cheek.
“Thanks to Arianna, who, between appointing an astronaut and a CEO of a multinational, amidst the rush to place friends and relatives, even people she doesn’t know, in every nook and cranny of the Italian state, also found time to organise Atreju.”
