Milestone in Bari

On 4 September 2026, Giorgia Meloni reached 1,413 consecutive days in office as Prime Minister of Italy, surpassing the previous record of 1,412 days set by Silvio Berlusconi during his 2001-2005 administration. Meloni celebrated the milestone in the southern city of Bari at a political gathering organized by her party, Brothers of Italy, under the slogan "The most stable government, the strongest Italy." The event brought together coalition partners Antonio Tajani of Forza Italia and Matteo Salvini of Lega. During her address, Meloni argued that governing longevity had strengthened Rome's position across the European Union and international bodies. She also criticized Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez regarding migrant entries in Ceuta, asserting that European directives had adopted Italian proposals on third-country return centres.

“Stability is the great reform we have given to this nation.”

Foreign leaders acknowledged the anniversary, including NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who sent congratulatory messages on social media. Meloni posted that she received the milestone with gratitude and responsibility, noting that public trust was not a blank check.

“Congratulations to my friend Giorgia Meloni for leading the longest-lasting government in the history of the Italian Republic in the post-war period. Thank you very much to Italy for being a great ally in NATO.”

Economic and legislative record

Brothers of Italy distributed a 30-page booklet detailing government metrics over nearly four years in power. The document cited a national employment total of 24.3 million workers, including 1.3 million jobs added during Meloni's term, alongside a July unemployment rate of 5.8%. It also listed 21 billion euros in tax cuts for individuals and an 80% to 83% decrease in irregular migrant arrivals between 2023 and 2026. A tally by news agency AGI recorded roughly 300 laws and decree-laws passed by the parliamentary majority, frequently through confidence votes addressing security, migration, and unauthorized assemblies. The administration aligned foreign policy with European positions on Ukraine while maintaining fiscal discipline recognized by international financial institutions.

Diplomatic tensions and stalled reforms

Critical reviews pointed to unresolved structural difficulties and policy setbacks during the same period. Italian consumer prices rose substantially since 2021, with olive oil up 47% and coffee up 51%, while annual gross domestic product growth stayed below 1% and public debt approached 140%. National spending on healthcare and education remained below the European Union average, accompanied by rising housing costs and stagnant wages. Core legislative initiatives faced resistance, notably a judicial reform package rejected by voters in a March 2026 referendum. Migrant holding facilities constructed in Albania remained empty despite a projected expenditure of 671 million euros through 2028. Bilateral relations with the United States also experienced tension following exchanges with Donald Trump at the June 2026 Group of Seven summit.

Polling pressures and the 2027 race

Surveys published by polling agency YouTrend outlined competitive pressures for the ruling coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections. Brothers of Italy stood at 26.5%, compared to 26.06% in the 2022 election, while the Democratic Party polled at 22.2% and the Five Star Movement at 12.6%. The right-wing Futuro Nazionale party led by retired general Roberto Vannacci registered 7.9%, overtaking Forza Italia at 7.1%. Lega recorded 4.4%, half of its 2022 election result. The governing alliance totaled 38.9% support, down 1.1 points from the previous month and five points from 2022, placing it behind a potential united opposition bloc at 40.6%. In the same survey, undecided voters and non-voters represented 33.6% of the electorate, while 53% of respondents felt Italy was on the wrong path compared to 31% who viewed its trajectory as correct.

Brothers of Italy26.5%

Democratic Party22.2%

Five Star Movement12.6%

Futuro Nazionale7.9%

Forza Italia7.1%

Lega4.4%

Brothers of Italy

26.5 %

Democratic Party

22.2 %

Five Star Movement

12.6 %

Futuro Nazionale

7.9 %

Forza Italia

7.1 %

Lega

4.4 %

Data from the article text