Italy swears in Giorgia Meloni as first ever female Prime Minister

The Italian parliament on Saturday, swore in Giorgia Meloni as the country’s first far-right female Prime Minister.

Ms Meloni who took the oath of office before Italian President, Sergio Mattarella, in a ceremony at the Quirinale Palace in Rome, pledged to act “in the exclusive interests of the nation” after reciting the ritual oath of office.

Meloni’s Brothers of Italy Party had won the national elections held in September, receiving 26 per cent of the total votes cast while the major opposition parties, Forza Italia and the far-right League, received 8 per cent and 9 per cent votes respectively.

During her campaign, Meloni had promised that support for Europe and NATO would be the cornerstone of her government, adding that anyone who did not agree with her orientation could “not be part of the government, even if that means not making the government.”

She had earlier on Friday announced her cabinet of 24 ministers, a coalition that contained members of the right-wing League of Matteo Salvini and the Forza Italia party headed by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

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Part of her cabinet include Giancarlo Giorgetti who will serve as the Finance Minister, while Antonio Tajani will be the Foreign Minister.

The co-founder of Brothers of Italy Party, Guido Crosetto, a defence industry expert, will handle the Defence ministry.

Meloni will hold her first cabinet meeting on Sunday as her government replaces the Mario Draghi-led administration who handed in his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella after the coalition government fell apart.

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