The Global Story How Giorgia Meloni became Trump's best friend in Europe
Oct 24, 2025
Barbara Serra, an accomplished Italian journalist, dives into the intriguing rise of Giorgia Meloni, Italy's first female Prime Minister. Serra discusses Meloni's populist roots and her controversial stance on migration and family values. The podcast explores her relationship with Donald Trump, highlighting their political kinship. Serra also reveals how Meloni's early life shaped her ideology and the implications of her party's origins in Italian fascism. Can Meloni sway Trump on key issues? Serra provides insights on this potential influence.
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Meloni's Dual Political Significance
- Giorgia Meloni combines nationalist identity politics with pragmatic geopolitics as Italy's first female prime minister.
- Her position matters because Italy is a large EU economy and a frontline migration state influencing Europe and US ties.
From MSI Roots To Mainstream Right
- Meloni's party traces to the MSI, founded by former fascists after WWII, which rebranded in the 1990s into a mainstream conservative force.
- Her political rise mirrors that transformation from neo-fascist roots to accepted right-wing politics in Italy.
Working-Class Roots Shaped Her Views
- Meloni grew up in a working-class, single-parent household in Rome and says that shaped her defence of traditional family values.
- Serra highlights Meloni's 'scrappy' toughness forged by being a right-wing woman in a left-wing, macho neighborhood.
