Italy's far-right candidate Giorgia Meloni claims victory as Prime Minister
25 September 2022, 19:03 | Updated: 26 September 2022, 08:09
A far-right candidate is set to become the new Prime Minister of Italy, and the country's first female leader, after claiming victory in the election on Sunday (September 25).
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Giorgia Meloni, of the Brotherhood of Italy party, had been favourite to emerge victorious in the race to replace Mario Draghi, a former banker, who resigned in July.
The official results, however, will not be announced for several days, due to Italy's complicated voting system - a mixture of first past the post and proportional representation.
Ms Meloni has been criticised for her anti-abortion and LGBT rights positions, as well as for favouring a blockade of Libya to halt illegal immigration.
If victorious, the politician is expected to lead Italy's most right-wing government since World War Two.
But a poll released two weeks ago suggested that her alliance of several right-wing parties, which is supported by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, would win the election.
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It would cap a remarkable rise for the Brotherhood of Italy, which won just 4% of the votes in an election in 2019.
The result has also disguises just how poorly her political opponents fared, with Mr Salvini's party expected to slip below 9%, and Forza Italia even lower.
Voting opened on Sunday morning at 7am local time, and closed at 11pm (10pm UK time). The exit poll suggested her party had claimed up to 26% of the vote, while her right-wing alliance would take 41-45% of the vote, according to the same poll.
After voting closed, Ms Meloni said her Brothers of Italy party would set out to "govern for everyone".
She continued: "Italians have sent a clear message in favour of a right-wing government led by Brothers of Italy," she told reporters in Rome, holding up a sign saying "Thank you Italy".
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The election was triggered by the resignation of centrist Mario Draghi, who has been Prime Minister since February 2021. Mr Draghi, a former president of the European Central Bank, resigned in July after losing support from part of his coalition over a dispute about the economy.
Ms Meloni's main rival is Enrico Letta, a former Prime Minister himself, and leader of the centre-left Democratic Party.
Italy has long been politically unstable: whoever succeeds Mr Draghi will lead the country's 68th government since 1946.
Ms Meloni has been labelled a fascist by some commentators, a description she rejects, although she still uses the slogan 'God, fatherland and family.'
Some of Ms Meloni's positions are more mainstream for a European leader. She backs Western sanctions on Russia and is likely to want to keep receiving the tens of billions Italy is getting from the European Union to support its recovery from Covid-19.
