New Italian premier presents gov't program to parliament

By Baris Seckin

ROME (AA) - Italy's new prime minister presented her government's new program to lawmakers on Tuesday.

Vowing to strengthen measures to support families and businesses facing high energy costs, Giorgia Meloni said Italy's economy was going through its roughest period since World War II.

"The economic situation is going through the most difficult period since the post-war period (World War II)," she said, adding that 2023 would be a "year of recession."

"We will prioritize strengthening measures to support families and businesses that face high energy costs. The energy crisis will force us to postpone other measures that we will ask for in the 2023 budget.”

Meloni became Italy's first woman prime minister after her right-wing coalition emerged victorious in general elections on Sept. 25. She is now seeking a vote of confidence in the lower wing of parliament on Tuesday and in the upper chamber, the Senate, on Wednesday.

Addressing the Chamber of Deputies, Meloni said the situation in the country meant there was no time to lose and that the members of her proposed government had had started working on the 2023 budget immediately .

- Relations with EU

On ties with the EU, Meloni said Italy was "completely part of the West and its alliance systems, a founder of the European Union and Atlantic Alliance (NATO), a member of the G7, and the cradle of Western civilization and its value system with Greece."

"We will make our voice heard in the EU institutions, as befits a great founding nation. We will do this not to slow down or sabotage European integration, as we have heard in recent weeks, but rather to contribute to bringing Europe closer to citizens and businesses in responding to crises and external threats," she asserted.

Turning to Russia's war in Ukraine, Meloni said Italy could not accept such a violation of national sovereignty and the integrity of Ukraine, adding: "This is also the best way to defend our national interests."

- Presidential system

Arguing that Italy should transition to a decision-making democracy on reforms, Meloni said the country's Constitution needed to be reformed towards a presidential system that "guarantees stability and re-centers the sovereignty of the people."

She said her coalition wanted to discuss this with all political parties in parliament to formulate the best reforms possible to this end.

"However, it is clear that we will not give up on reforming Italy in the face of biased opposition. In this matter, we will proceed according to the authority given to us by the Italians," she added.

- 'Fascist laws of 1938, the lowest point in Italian history'

Meloni, who has been accused of harboring sympathy for Italy's fascist period of 1922-1943 and its leader during that time, Benito Mussolini, said the "fascist laws of 1938 was the lowest point in Italian history."

"Freedom and democracy are the hallmarks of contemporary European civilization in which I have always seen myself. For this reason, I have never felt sympathy and closeness towards anti-democratic regimes, including fascism," she said.