Giorgia Meloni has declared victory in Italy’s general election, clearing her path to become the country's first female prime minister while leading the most right-wing government since that of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.
In a result certain to send shockwaves throughout Italian and European politics, Ms Meloni’s far-right alliance was on the path to victory with around 44 per cent votes.
Her Brothers of Italy party, which traces its origins from neo-fascist elements and those who are nostalgic for the Mussolini era, polled over 26 per cent votes, with alliance partners The League, led by Matteo Salvini, receiving nearly 9 per cent and Forza Italia led by Silvio Berlusconi scoring over 8 per cent of the votes.
Ms Meloni, who heads the Brothers of Italy party, vowed to unite the country in her victory speech in the early hours of Monday.
"If we are called to govern this nation, we will do it for everyone, we will do it for all Italians and we will do it with the aim of uniting the people [of Italy]”, Ms Meloni said at her party's Rome headquarters.
She added: “It is a victory I want to dedicate to everyone who is no longer with us and wanted this night.
"Italy chose us”, she said. "We will not betray [the country] as we never have."
The centre-left Democratic Party polled over 19 per cent of the votes to become the single largest opposition party.
While the formation of the coalition government is expected to take weeks, Ms Meloni is likely to lead the cabinet, becoming the first woman to hold Italy’s premiership.
Ms Meloni’s dramatic rise to power comes at a time when most of EU nations are struggling with soaring energy bills, the war in Ukraine and the west’s desire to preserve unity in confronting Russia.
Although she has vowed to continue Rome’s support for Kyiv, suspicions remain that pressure from Mr Salvini and Mr Berlusconi, who have both championed Russian president Vladimir Putin in the recent past, could see Italy’s support for Ukraine weaken.
Political veteran Mr Berlusconi on the eve of the election claimed the Russian president was “pushed” into invading Ukraine.
“History was written today”, Ms Meloni wrote on Facebook on Monday.
She added: “This victory is dedicated to all the militants, leaders, supporters and to every single person who - in recent years - has contributed to the realisation of our dream, offering heart and soul in a spontaneous and disinterested way.
Hungary’s leader Viktor Orban was one of the first leaders to congratulate Ms Meloni on her victory.
He wrote: “In these difficult times, we need more than ever friends who share a common vision and approach to Europe’s challenges.”
French politician Marine Le Pen’s party hailed the result as a “lesson in humility” for the EU.Santiago Abascal, the leader of Spain’s far-right Vox opposition party, tweeted that Meloni “has shown the way for a proud and free Europe of sovereign nations that can cooperate on behalf of everybody’s security and prosperity.”
The vice president of the European Parliament, Katharina Barley of the Social Democrats of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said Meloni’s victory was “worrying” given her affiliations with Orban and Donald Trump.“
Her electoral lip service to Europe cannot hide the fact that she represents “a danger to constructive coexistence in Europe,” she was quoted as saying by German daily WELT.
Meloni proudly touts her roots as a militant in the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement, or MSI, which was formed in the aftermath of WWII with the remnants of Mussolini’s fascist supporters. Meloni joined in 1992 as a 15-year-old.
