Giorgia Meloni

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Giorgia Meloni
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Name:
Giorgia Meloni
Who is:
, prime minister of Italy
Birth date:
(47 y.o.)
Place of birth:
Rome, Italy
Height:
5'3 ft ()
Weight:
128 lb (58 kg)
Relationship:
single
Birth Sign:
Chinese zodiac:

Giorgia Meloni

Giorgia Meloni is a true phenomenon in Italy. This girl, who grew up in a freedom-loving "leftist" district of Rome, became the country's main advocate for ultra-conservative ideas in just a few years. The youngest deputy in the country in 2006 and the youngest minister in 2008, Meloni set record after record.

In 2012, she founded the "right-wing" party "Brothers of Italy". While opponents labeled her a "fascist", it seemed that Italians were embracing her political ideas. Giorgia did not support LGBT culture and advocated for making entry more difficult for refugees and migrants. In 2022, Meloni made history again - this time as the first female prime minister in Italy.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni

Early Years

Giorgia Meloni was born on January 15, 1977, in Rome, Italy's capital. She grew up in the family of a tax advisor, Francesco, who was born in Sardinia, and Anna, a native of Sicily. Apart from Giorgia, there was another girl growing up in the family.

The restless sisters often caused mischief and accidentally set fire to their home in 1980. Anna and the girls had to move to Garbatella, a poor neighborhood known for its "left-wing" and free-thinking atmosphere.

By this time, Francesco had effectively left the family, largely because his wife did not share his political views. He was a committed communist, while Anna was a supporter of the right-wing conservative party "National Alliance" and had previously been involved in neo-fascist movements. The father did not cut off communication with the girls, but he did not provide them with financial support. In 1989, Giorgia stopped maintaining contact with her father.
Giorgia Meloni in her youth
Giorgia Meloni in her youth
At school, Meloni faced bullying. She was overweight – at just 9 years old, she weighed 65 kilograms. Her classmates never missed an opportunity to mock her. Trying to escape, Giorgia showed an unusual determination and focused on her studies. She completed middle school with excellent grades and enrolled in the Amerigo Vespucci Institute, after which she became a certified linguistics specialist.

Political Career

At the age of 15, Meloni established an organization named "Ancestors" within her school. Together with like-minded individuals, she intended to challenge the idea of school reform proposed by the Minister of Education, Rosa Russo Jervolino, who held "left" views.

At that time, the girl was already a member of the "Youth Front" of the Italian Social Movement (MSI). There, in her own words, she "found a real family". At night, Giorgia and her friends would distribute leaflets with ultra-right slogans on the streets of Rome, risking getting into trouble. During the day, Meloni studied and worked part-time, either as a nanny or a bartender, in order to save money.

In 1996, Meloni became the head of the organization "Student Action". Two years later, through the "National Alliance" party, which her mother also supported, Giorgia was elected to the Rome provincial council, winning her first ever election. There, for the next five years, she handled matters related to culture, schools, and youth policy.
Giorgia Meloni in her early years
Giorgia Meloni in her early years
Even during this period, the girl made some controversial statements. In one interview, she admitted that she considered Benito Mussolini to be one of the best Italian politicians. This is not surprising if we recall that it was the veterans of his party who were at the origins of the Italian Social Movement.

In 2001, while working in the city council, Giorgia, with the support of the "National Alliance" leader Gianfranco Fini, was appointed to the steering committee of "Youth Action", and three years later became the leader of the organization.

In 2006, Meloni was elected to the 15th term of the Chamber of Deputies. She was part of the "National Alliance" faction and worked as the vice-president of the chamber, becoming the youngest deputy. At the same time, she also dealt with issues in the Committee on Communications and Foreign Information.
Giorgia Meloni in her youth
Giorgia Meloni in her youth
In 2008, Giorgia set another record: the 31-year-old woman was included in the cabinet of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Meloni became the youngest minister in the country's history. She was responsible for youth and sports affairs. In addition to this, she also remained a deputy in the 16th term of the Chamber, where she represented the "People of Freedom" faction.

"Brothers of Italy"

In 2012, Meloni decided to leave Berlusconi's party. She persuaded former colleagues to join her and six months later, she co-founded a new party, "Brothers of Italy - National Right Center". The name was taken from the first line of the country's anthem, and the organization's emblem featured the colors of the national flag.

The party members were called "new fascists", and Meloni herself compared her creation to the Republican Party of the United States or the Conservatives of Great Britain.
Giorgia Meloni – Leader of the 'Brothers of Italy' party
Giorgia Meloni – Leader of the 'Brothers of Italy' party
Opponents doubted the success of the young party, and initially their predictions came true. In 2013, "Brothers of Italy" barely made it into the Parliament by forming an agreement with Berlusconi's party. A year later, the organization, now officially headed by Meloni, failed to make it into the European Parliament.

Nevertheless, Meloni's name was increasingly associated with Berlusconi in the press – she was perceived as his direct successor. Moreover, in public opinion polls, she only trailed in trust ratings behind the current Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

In 2015, Meloni began the process of uniting right-wing forces in the country, establishing the "Our Land" movement.

Participation in Elections

Ambitious Giorgia first made a serious statement about herself in 2016, putting forward her candidacy for the post of Mayor of Rome. This decision came as a surprise even to Berlusconi, as his party had already proposed its own candidate. Meloni suffered a defeat in the first round, but at the same time, she outstripped Silvio's protégé in votes.
Giorgia Meloni during the 2016 election campaign
Giorgia Meloni during the 2016 election campaign
The Italian press reported that the former prime minister was dissatisfied with the actions of his protégé, but it was already impossible to stop Meloni. In 2018, "Brothers of Italy" made it to the parliament again, ending up at the bottom in terms of percentage ratio again, but the popularity of the party leader kept growing.

A year later, at the World Congress of Families, Giorgia delivered a speech that went viral online. She called for the protection of national and religious identity, as well as family values. "I am a woman, I am a mother, I am Italian, I am a Christian!" she declared from the podium to the applause of those gathered, while opponents tried to accuse her of fascism. Critics made a humorous remix of her words, and in the end, the composition became a popular song and the unofficial anthem of Giorgia.
MEM & J - Io Sono Giorgia (Giorgia Meloni Remix)

Political Views

Despite Meloni constantly denying rumors about the fascist orientation of her party, her statements were quite radical.

She did not support same-sex relationships, stating that she adhered to more traditional values. Giorgia harshly voiced her opinion on migrants: once, when a ship with refugees arrived at the shores of Sicily, she seriously suggested sinking it and arresting the crew.

Meloni's ideas found resonance among Italians. Despite her calls for maintaining Italians' national self-sufficiency, she had no intention of isolating the country from the rest of Europe.

Opponents criticized the leader of the "Brothers of Italy" for excessive loyalty to Russia. Giorgia repeatedly questioned the actions of the US and the European Union. Following the annexation of Crimea in 2014, she repeatedly asked for the softening or complete lifting of Western sanctions against Russia.

Personal Life of Giorgia Meloni

In 2016, during a rally against same-sex couple adoption, Meloni announced her pregnancy. She made no secret of her boyfriend's identity: three years earlier, she had started dating TV host Andrea Giambruno, whom she had met on a show. The girl who was born in September 2016 was named Ginevra.
Giorgia Meloni and Andrea Giambruno with their daughter
Giorgia Meloni and Andrea Giambruno with their daughter
In 2019, Meloni admitted that she was going through a rather stressful period in her life. It turned out that an unknown man had tried to kidnap her child. For several months, he had been stalking her, claiming that the child was his daughter and that Giorgia had simply abducted the little girl. She had to contact the police, who arrested her "stalker".

In October 2023, Meloni publicly announced her separation from the father of her child. "My relationship with Andrea Giambruno, which lasted almost 10 years, is ending now," she wrote on social media. The reason was Giambruno's flirtations with other women.

This happened shortly after Giambruno was sued over his pointed remarks. Commenting on the group rape of a 19-year-old girl that had taken place in the summer of 2023, he stated that avoiding rape was simple - just "don't get drunk". His statement sparked outrage in Italian society.

Giorgia Meloni Now

In 2022, Meloni's political attitudes have changed. After after Russia's attack on Ukraine, she, despite past criticism, supported the position of the EU countries. Meloni stated that her party has always been pro-Atlantic and condemned Russia's actions. Furthermore, she actively advocated for the imposition of sanctions against the country.

Giorgia Meloni in 2022
Giorgia Meloni in 2022
In September 2022, right-wing parties achieved a convincing victory in the elections, and the "Brothers of Italy" received 26% of the votes.

In October, Giorgia Meloni became the Prime Minister of Italy - for the first time in the country's history, this position was held by a woman - and in record time, just in a day, she formed her cabinet, which was recognized as the most "right-wing" since World War II.

Interesting Facts

  • Meloni has two published books to her credit. In 2011, she released a book titled "We Believe," followed a few years later by her autobiography, "I, Giorgia".

  • Meloni's love for writing could have been inherited from her mother. Anna, in her time, wrote more than 100 romance novels under the pseudonym Josie Bell.

  • Meloni is a big fan of fantasy. She refers to Tolkien's trilogy "The Lord of the Rings" as a "sacred text". In her youth, Giorgia was into role-playing games, participated in "Hobbit Camp", and performed with the folk group "The Fellowship of the Ring".

Important Dates in Life

  • 1992 - Founded the "Ancestors" organization based on the school, was a member of the "Youth Front" of the Italian Social Movement
  • 1996 - Led the "Student Action"
  • 1998 - Became a member of the province of Rome council from the "National Alliance" party
  • 2001 - Became the manager of the "Youth Action" steering committee
  • 2004 - Became the leader of the "Youth Action" organization
  • 2006 - Was elected to the XV Chamber of Deputies
  • 2008 - Became the Minister of Youth and Sports of Italy
  • 2012 - Founded the "Brothers of Italy" party
  • 2013 - The "Brothers of Italy" party entered the country's parliament
  • 2014 - Led the "Brothers of Italy" party
  • 2016 - Participated in the mayoral elections in Rome, gave birth to a daughter
  • 2022 - The "Brothers of Italy" party won a majority in the parliamentary elections, she became the main candidate for the position of the country's Prime Minister