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Far-right Meloni takes over as Italy’s first woman PM
Italy's outgoing prime minister, Mario Draghi and Italy's new prime minister, Giorgia Meloni shake hands during the cabinet minister bell handover ceremony at Palazzo Chigi in Rome on October 23, 2022 (Andreas SOLARO / AFP)
Giorgia Meloni officially takes over as Italy’s first woman prime minister at the helm of the country’s most right-wing government since World War II.
Four weeks after her post-fascist Brothers of Italy party won general elections, Meloni joins outgoing premier Mario Draghi for a handover ceremony at Chigi Palace, the prime minister’s seat in Rome.
After almost 90 minutes of private talks, the pair smile broadly as Draghi, a former European Central Bank chief, symbolically hands over to Meloni a small bell used in cabinet debates.
She will later hold her first meeting of ministers comprising members of her party and its allies, former premier Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party and Matteo Salvini’s far-right League.
