The eyes of the whole world are on Giorgia Meloni. Today, Thursday, June 13, the G7 summit begins in Fasano, Puglia. An appointment in which the Italian Prime Minister presents herself with an advantage over other leaders, almost all of whom are dealing with increasingly low popularity ratings or looming elections with uncertain outcomes. It is the foreign newspapers that have noticed above all that Meloni will seek to cement her final place on the international stage at the head of the Seven Great Powers. European edition of Politician He awaits the G7 meeting in Puglia with an article entitled Six Lame Ducks and Georgia Meloni. “The democratic world urgently needs strong leadership from the G7 this week,” the letter said. However, the article continues PoliticianThe summit that opens today in Puglia “probably represents the weakest group of leaders the group has assembled in recent years.”

Leaders are in difficulty

The difficulties facing the heads of state and government who will participate in the G7 in recent days are well known. In France, Emmanuel Macron recently emerged from an electoral defeat in the European elections, which convinced him to call early elections. In the UK, the vote will take place on the 4th of July, and it is practically certain that Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will have to bid farewell to Downing Street. Parties supporting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz performed poorly in the European elections, while Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister for nine years, has spoken publicly about his desire to leave office. Finally, there is Japanese Fumio Kishida, who faces a fierce leadership competition by the end of 2024, and US President Joe Biden, who will face Donald Trump again in the presidential elections in November.

Italian exception

The exception is Giorgia Meloni, who has been in office for more than a year and a half and has just returned from an excellent result in the European elections. His party, the Brotherhood of Italy, received 28.8% of the votes, an increase compared to the 2022 policies that brought the prime minister to the Chigi Palace. “With the exception of Meloni, the G7 leaders are all very weak,” he said. Politician Ivo Daalder, former US Ambassador to NATO. “All eyes are on her, this time,” he added. guardian Francesco Galletti, founder of Policy Sonar. He is also of the same opinion The New York Timesaccording to which Giorgia Meloni could welcome her guests at the G7 summit in Puglia “thinking they were looking for a refuge” to hide.

On the cover: Giorgia Meloni at the Fratelli d'Italia headquarters after the counting of the European elections, June 9, 2024 (ANSA/Giuseppe Lami)

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