On September 25 it became clear that Italy would soon welcome its first female Prime Minister in the Parliament, Giorgia Meloni, leader of the party Fratelli d’Italia, as she ran with a total of 26 % of the votes in the 2022 elections.

While Meloni is currently negotiating with her allies, Italian expats living in Aarhus share their thoughts on the new Prime Minister and the election in general.

Edoardo Viganò, 26

“From a citizen’s perspective it was nice to finally have some elections, because during this legislative term there have been different governments with all the possible combinations of coalitions,” said Edoardo Viganò, a political science PhD student at Aarhus University. He added: “I’m not particularly fond of the outcome, but that’s how democracy works.”

Even though Viganò disagrees with many of the key issues Meloni stands for, including her attitude toward civil rights and Italy’s relationship with the European Union, he still plans to move back to Italy once he has completed his doctorate degree. 

Viganò, who sent in his vote by mail from Denmark, explained that he isn’t worried about the new right-wing government and its neo-fascist history.

As a political scientist that studies the behavior of politicians and whether they represent geographical constituencies in the Parliament, the real problem, according to Viganò, is the all-time low levels of voter turnout – especially among young adults. 

Giulia Lucisano, 35

Italian-born Giulia Lucisano said she worries for her friends and relatives back in Italy. With Meloni on the brink of becoming Italy’s next Prime Minister, Lucisano is concerned about the restrictions the women in her life may face in the future, such as limited abortion access.

Lucisano moved to Aarhus with her partner four months ago and was able to send in her ballot from Denmark.

“After I got the results, one of the first things I thought was like, okay, maybe we moved [at] the right moment,” said Lucisano, who works as an account manager. As to whether she would go back to Italy, Lucisano said she will give it more thought.

Timeline of the 2022 Italian Elections

Lorenzo Bocchio, 23

Lorenzo Bocchio, an Italian exchange student, considers extending his stay in Aarhus for another six months due to the election results.

“It’s as bad as it looks,” Bocchio said. He points out that the Brothers of Italy party received just 4.4% of the vote in 2018, compared to 26 % during this year’s elections.

Bocchio believes history is repeating itself as he reflects on Italy’s fascist history under Mussolini’s rule. “It’s not like we didn’t lose anything, but we lost lives, we lost freedom,” said Bocchio. Moreover, he feels like the other political parties could have done more to influence the results. 

The Carpenedolo native thinks the “huge discrepancy” between the needs of the people and what some parties actually offer is problematic. He mentioned that most Italians feel like there’s no actual left-wing party with democratic values.

Bocchio further explained that unemployed Italian citizens receive money from the government until they find occupation, but the Brothers of Italy are currently trying to contest this. “It’s like they’re saying that being without a job is like being a [drug] junkie,” he said.

Ilaria Giolo, 31

“It’s a little bit tiring to hear all the jokes about Italian politics,” said Ilaria Giolo about the way the Danes around her have been treating the ongoing political situation in her native country. 

Giolo, a digital solutions coordinator who’s been living in Aarhus for the past eight years, said the recent elections have not directly affected her, but she worries about the impact they will have on her friends and family in Treviso. 

“[Meloni] is frightening because she’s very clever on how to use words,” said Giolo. She is certain Meloni’s articulation attracted the majority of the votes. Giolo believes the voting system is at fault since there are multiple elections happening during a short period of time, which can be tiring to Italian constituents. 

Stefano Saporito, 48

“Giorgia Meloni does not scare me, because I think that there is a fairly balanced force between the center (like the Five Stars), left and right,” said Stefano Saporito, a salmon derivative seller from the Aarhus countryside. 

“I voted for the party that seemed more innovative to me, they seemed more new and more clean. Also, they seemed to me more moderate, neither too right-wing nor too left-wing,” said Saporito.

Meloni’s stance on immigration control allowed Saporito to make a connection to when he first came to Denmark 10 years ago. Back then, he “was assessed but not helped economically because [Denmark helps] people who really don’t have the means to work.” He added that the welfare system in Denmark takes care of everyone, regardless of income.

Overall, he is well integrated into the Danish way of life and is fond of the country’s tax system that “actually” grants citizens what they pay for which in turn gives him “a sense of community.” He is not planning on returning to Italy.

Italian expats living in Aarhus are clearly split when it comes to the election results in Italy, which positions Giorgia Meloni as the next Prime Minister. They are all waiting to see if Meloni will keep her promises made during her campaigning and whether or not it will affect them or their compatriots.