Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni celebrated at a rally in Bari the record of her government, which with 1,413 days in office has become the longest-serving executive in Italy since World War II.
Meloni shared the achievement with her supporters in the southern Italian city, after the government she leads surpassed the previous record set by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's second government in 2005.
In her speech to supporters, the prime minister also took stock of her nearly four years in charge of the country, focusing on European funds, the economy, and the role that, according to her, Italy has gained within the European Union.
"They said: with the right in government, Italy will lose billions; they will not be able to cope with the task. Not only have we not lost a single euro, but we have adapted the PNRR to the real needs of this nation, and after decades where Italy had lagged behind in spending European funds, we have been the leading country in Europe in terms of spending on the post-pandemic recovery plan and have set an example for the rest of Europe," declared Meloni.
The Prime Minister also focused on Italy's position in the European Union, recalling the reservations with which her government was received by several European capitals after coming to power in October 2022.
Meloni singled out migration policy, claiming that its positions, once criticized in Europe, are now reflected in European legislation.
"Do you remember how, for years, we were told that our positions on migration were unacceptable, that they were outside the framework of European legal culture? Well, I can officially inform you that today those positions are European law and therefore part of European legal culture," Meloni said.
There was no shortage of personal moments during the rally. While addressing supporters, Meloni was interrupted by a phone call from her nine-year-old daughter, Ginevra.
"It was my daughter, I'm sorry," she said after hanging up the phone, adding with humor that her daughter had called her three times.
