Giorgia Meloni Breaks Italy’s Post-War Record, Leads Longest-Serving Government Since WWII

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has made history by leading Italy’s longest uninterrupted government since World War II, a remarkable feat in a country renowned for political instability and short-lived administrations.

Meloni’s conservative administration completed 1,413 days in office on Thursday, surpassing the previous record of 1,412 days held by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s second government, which governed from 2001 to 2005. Meloni and her party will mark the milestone with a major pre-election rally in the southern city of Bari on Friday.

The achievement comes as Meloni enters a crucial phase of her premiership. With Italy’s next general election due by the end of 2027, the political question is shifting from whether she can survive in office to whether voters believe her government has delivered enough to deserve another term.

Meloni became Italy’s first woman prime minister in October 2022, leading the Brothers of Italy after the party emerged as the largest force in a right-wing coalition. Her rise initially raised concerns in European capitals because of the party’s post-fascist roots. In office, however, Meloni has largely followed a pragmatic course, maintaining support for Ukraine, working within European Union institutions and pursuing fiscal discipline. Her relationship with US President Donald Trump has also strengthened her international profile.

Her political durability stands out against Italy’s post-war record. Since becoming a republic in 1946, Italy has had 68 governments and 31 prime ministers, with cabinets lasting roughly 14 months on average. Amintore Fanfani’s first government in 1954 survived just 22 days.

Coalition politics has been a major reason for the frequent turnover. Mario Draghi’s government lasted 616 days before coalition partners withdrew support in 2022, while Giuseppe Conte’s second government lasted 527 days before Matteo Renzi’s Italia Viva left the coalition. Mario Monti’s 528-day government emerged during the eurozone debt crisis, while Paolo Gentiloni’s 536-day administration continued until the 2018 election.

Meloni’s supporters point to 1.2 million additional stable jobs, record employment, unemployment below 6 per cent, tighter public finances and sharply lower migrant arrivals. Critics, however, say Italy’s deeper problems — weak productivity, demographic decline, high public debt and weaknesses in healthcare, education and public administration — remain unresolved.

The IMF expects Italy’s economy to grow by only 0.5 per cent in both 2026 and 2027, while public debt stood at around 137 per cent of GDP in 2025.

Meloni also faces pressure from the right from retired General Roberto Vannacci, who has criticised her for becoming too moderate.

For now, Meloni has proved she can survive where many predecessors could not. The bigger test is whether voters believe she has achieved enough with that time to stay in power beyond 2027.