Giorgia Meloni used a packed rally in Bari to celebrate a political marker and set the tone for the race ahead of next year's vote. "Stability has been a shield for Italy, not a whim," she told the crowd, noting the day put her at 1,413 days since being sworn in and at the helm of the longest-running government since the republic was founded in 1946. She added, "We protected the savings of Italians when many were hoping for a financial storm to send the government home."
The path to another term runs through stubborn problems at home - flat living standards and weak growth - and a new challenge on the right. Roberto Vannacci's ultranationalist National Future party is peeling away support with themes that echo the ones Meloni used in opposition.
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Tajani and Salvini dialed in by video link, with Salvini - who runs the infrastructure and transport ministry - repeatedly freezing on screen from a highway rest stop. The trio has publicly clashed at times over Ukraine assistance and defense outlays. For your wallet, the through-line to watch is whether Meloni's bet on stability and southern growth translates into better paychecks and steadier prices, or whether economic drift and a surging rival pull the agenda off course.
