Victory of Italy’s Fratelli Leader and Poor Results for the Democratic Party
On Sunday, September 25, early elections were held in Italy, and according to statistics and surveys, more than 6 out of every 10 Italians went to the polls. The voter turnout in the 2022 elections was about 63.95%, which is low in Italy’s history. The center-right, led by Giorgia Meloni, won the election, and more importantly, Meloni’s victory is significant. In total, the coalition managed to secure 44% of the votes, about 26% of which went to Fratelli d’Italia, the Lega party received approximately 9%, which is a noticeable drop compared to the previous term, and Forza Italia captured 8% of the votes.
However, the center-left did not succeed in obtaining more than 27% of the votes. Among them, the Democratic Party (PD) achieved a less than satisfactory result and could not even reach 20% of the votes. Meanwhile, the Five Star Movement performed well, securing about 15.4% of the votes. Among the parties that achieved the worst results was the newly established Civic Commitment party, led by former Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, which did not even reach 1% of the votes and consequently dissolved. This fate was similarly repeated for Più Europa.
However, the center-left did not succeed in obtaining more than 27% of the votes. Among them, the Democratic Party (PD) achieved a less than satisfactory result and could not even reach 20% of the votes. Meanwhile, the Five Star Movement performed well, securing about 15.4% of the votes. Among the parties that achieved the worst results was the newly established Civic Commitment party, led by former Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, which did not even reach 1% of the votes and consequently dissolved. This fate was similarly repeated for Più Europa.
Center-right Party: Meloni’s Victory and Salvini’s Fall
Fratelli d’Italia, with 26% of the votes, is actually the first Italian party and won the election with remarkable success. However, the right-wing Lega party, which is in coalition with Fratelli d’Italia, achieved very poor results this term, securing only about 9% of the Italian public’s votes, which is a significant drop compared to their 17% in 2018.
Meloni, a day after the voting and with the approximate results becoming clear, announced that our government belongs to all Italians and we will govern for all people. In her first statements, she said this election was a clear and explicit message from the people to the center-right government led by Fratelli d’Italia. Now is the time for responsibility, a time when, if you want to be part of history, you must understand the great responsibility we have towards tens of millions because Italy has chosen us, and we will not betray it, just as we have never betrayed it.
Meloni added that now that we have been called to lead the nation, we will do this for everyone. We want to elevate what unites and brings solidarity among the people of Italy and intend to unite the people.
The fact that Fratelli d’Italia is the first party means a lot to us. This is certainly a night of pride, redemption, tears, hugs, and dreams for many of us. She added, we must remember that we are not at the point of arrival but at the point of departure, and from tomorrow, we must prove our worth. We are proud once again to be Italian. Meloni also thanked her allies Matteo Salvini, Silvio Berlusconi, Maurizio Lupi, and all Italians who did not believe in the doubts and rumors.
And finally, by quoting Saint Francis, one of the most famous and holy figures in Christianity and the founder of the Franciscan order, she concluded her speech: Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible. The center-right party will also have a majority in the Senate, and the polls indicate that the center-right party can secure 119 seats in the Senate, which in itself will be a reason for the new government to move towards the future with more tranquility.
The Democratic Party at its Lowest Historical Point
The center-left coalition concluded this election round with 26% of the votes, which is a much lower figure than the opposing coalition. The Democratic Party defied some pre-election polls that believed this party would rival Fratelli d’Italia. The Democratic Party managed to secure 19% of the votes, a figure slightly higher than the 18.7% they achieved in the 2018 elections.
Enrico Letta, the leader of the Democratic Party, called the result obtained for his party very unsatisfactory and announced that he will no longer run as the party’s secretary in the new congress and emphasized the need for a new Democratic Party. He added, in the coming days, we will take the necessary steps to form a new congress, and this will be a good opportunity for the new Democratic Party to think about what it wants to be and review its goals.
A new party capable of facing the challenges of the new era because we are facing a right-wing party that has never been this right and extreme.
Enrico Letta said we have tough days ahead, and if we have reached the Meloni government today, it is because of Giuseppe Conte. He was the catalyst for the downfall of the previous government. We will remain in the opposition with full seriousness and will not allow Italy to distance itself from European values and the important principles of the constitution. Therefore, we are a serious, tough, and uncompromising opposition, and we will start our utmost effort to think about a better future from tomorrow.
Five Star Movement: The First Party in the South
Among the results of the 2022 Italian elections, without a doubt, the result of 15.4% for the Five Star Movement led by Giuseppe Conte stands out more than other parties. The political power that caused a crisis in the Draghi government and ultimately led to the Prime Minister’s resignation managed to reverse the downward path it had been on since 2019. Giuseppe Conte, the leader of the Five Star Movement, said we are the third political power in parliament. We had a great comeback. Everyone wanted to remove the movement from the scene and marginalize it.
He added, we will be an uncompromising opposition. He continued, many believed that the movement would be marginalized and predicted a single-digit vote for us. Instead, this comeback and the fact that we are the first party in the south shows that when you have a project, passion, and speak to citizens with honesty and sincerity, they will respond.
Giuseppe Conte then spoke about the victory of the center-right, saying frankly, we are a tough opposition and will defend our position and the reforms made, and we will not allow anyone to question them. We have a large part of the country on our side.
Regarding the center-right, Conte continued, they are the majority coalition in parliament, not in the country, and unfortunately, this result is due to an electoral law that we ourselves object to and disagree with. Therefore, our first effort and struggle will be to reform this electoral law and provide a suitable solution. He also emphasized that as the first political party in Italy, we will continue to fight against inequality.