Giorgia Meloni has taken office Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz is dead

Change in Palazzo Chigi: Italy’s new Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, has taken over official business in Rome. After being sworn in on Saturday by head of state Sergio Mattarella, the traditional handing over of the bell at the government seat by the now ex-Prime Minister Mario Draghi to his successor followed on Sunday morning.

The party leader of the far-right Fratelli d’Italia and her newly sworn cabinet then held a first council of ministers. Before that, Draghi left the Palazzo Chigi to the applause of his former collaborators.

Before the transfer, Draghi and Meloni had a long conversation. Shortly afterwards, nothing was known about the contents. After Sunday’s Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, Pope Francis prayed “for the unity and peace of Italy”. Meloni’s government now needs confirmation through a confidence vote in both houses of parliament, expected early this week. The legal alliance has an absolute majority in both chambers.

Observers are curious about the first steps of Meloni’s right-wing government, comprising the Fratelli party alliance with Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party and the right-wing populist Lega.

Several Italian media expect Meloni to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Rome on Monday. The Frenchman will travel to the Italian capital on Sunday because he has a private audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican on Monday. A possible meeting between Melonis and Macron is also seen as an important signal for cooperation between the two countries. (yam/sda/dpa)