In Italy, legal scholars are raising the alarm about the actions of the Meloni government and its potential impact on the country’s democracy. There is a growing concern that Italy’s democratic institutions may be at risk, as has been seen in recent events in Europe. The president of Italy holds significant authority, including the power to dissolve the parliament and government at any time. The current president, Sergio Mattarella, has used his powers sparingly, but there are concerns about potential changes proposed by the far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni.
Meloni is pushing for a constitutional amendment that would drastically reduce the president’s powers in favor of giving more power to the prime minister, who would be elected through popular vote. This has raised concerns among legal scholars and political scientists who fear that such changes could limit the president’s ability to provide stability and market confidence in times of crisis. Critics point out that Meloni has ties to neo-fascist groups in Italy, which raises further concerns about the direction in which the country may be heading.
Some experts have compared Italy’s current trajectory to that of countries like Hungary and Poland, where democracy has been eroded by right-wing populism. The debate over the president’s powers is not unique to Italy; it is also happening in Finland, where there are calls for a transfer of foreign and security policy powers from the president to the government led by the prime minister. As these debates continue to unfold, there is growing uncertainty about what lies ahead for Italy’s democracy and its future path forward.
