Leader of Italy’s centre-left Democratic Party (PD), Enrico Letta sought to strike a sombre note as he described far-right leader Giorgia Meloni’s election as ‘a sad day for Italy and Europe’
“Today is a sad day for Italy, for Europe, tough days lie ahead of us,” the former Italian prime minister said during a news conference in Rome. “We fought in every way to avoid this outcome, we fought for our values and with the aim to taking Italy into the future.”
The PD bagged about 19 per cent of the votes. Meanwhile, the left-leaning, unaligned 5-Star Movement bagged 15 per cent. Centrist “Action” group was able to garner just 8 per cent of votes.
Matteo Salvini’s League and Silvio Berlisconi’s Forza Italia are Meloni’s allies. The alliance faces a lot of challanges ahaed. These include rising energy prices, Ukraine war and an economic slowdown.
Meloni’s coalition government will be Italy’s 68th since 1946. Italy current PM Mario Draghi will remain as caretaker PM for now and it is expected that Meloni’s government will not be installed before October-end.
“This result is also a very strong incentive for all of us to keep fighting so that this election result is one that, I repeat, does not move Italy from the place where it belongs, in the heart of Europe and in the heart of the values of our republican constitution,” Letta added.
(With inputs from agencies)
