Giorgia Meloni was sworn in as Italy first woman prime 

Giorgia Meloni was sworn in as Italy first woman prime 

ROME (Reuters) - Giorgia Meloni was sworn in as Italy first woman prime minister on Saturday alongside her cabinet team, Giorgia Meloni was sworn in as Italy's first female prime minister with her cabinet team on Saturday, giving the country its most right-wing government since World War II.

She takes office at a particularly fraught moment, with Italy's debt-laden economy spiraling into recession once again, firms succumbing to the weight of rising energy bills, and the war in Ukraine over its coalition. divided inside.

Standing under the crystal chandelier of a mural in the presidential palace, Meloni takes the oath of office while watching her 6-year-old daughter.

The head of Italy's Nationalist brothers, Meloni won the election last month as part of a coalition that included Forza Italia and Matteo Salvini's anti-immigrant league led by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

His government, the 12th of this century, replaces a national unity administration run by former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi, which was at the forefront of the EU's efforts to sanction Russia after it invaded Ukraine in February.

While Meloni has promised support for Ukraine, Berlusconi has repeatedly downplayed him, blaming Kyiv for the war earlier this week and revealing that he had accompanied his old friend, Russian President Vladimir Putin. Gifts and "sweet letters" were exchanged.

After several days of tense talks, Meloni unveiled his team on Friday, giving five ministries to Ligue and Forza Italia and reserving nine cabinet positions for his party.

Technocrats make up the rest of the 24-strong squad, which consists of just six women and where the average age is 60.

Italy's perennially weak economy and rising national debt were attributed to Giancarlo Giorgetti, seen as a moderate member of the League. The foreign ministry was assigned to Forza Italia veteran Antonio Tajani, who was seen as a pro-European pigeon.

Tajani told a local television channel that his first task would be to call his Ukrainian counterpart to assure him of Italy's continued solidarity.

'Patriots coming to power'

Meloni's party has neo-fascist roots, but he sought to project a moderate image during the election campaign, abandoning previous anti-EU rhetoric and pledging to place Italy at the center of European and Western institutions.

The leaders of the European Commission in Brussels sent him congratulatory messages on Saturday.

"I count on those challenges and look forward to a constructive collaboration with the new government," Commission chair Ursula von der Leyen wrote on Twitter.

Meloni also received praise from Europe's nationalist conservatives, who hoped that his government would prove to be a powerful ally in his regular fighting with Brussels.

"Congratulations Giorgia Meloni on the formation of your government! Big day for the European right!" Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote on Twitter.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen tweeted: "Across Europe, patriots are coming to power."

Meloni is scheduled to hold her first cabinet meeting on Sunday after formally handing over power to Draghi.

She will then face mandatory confidence votes in parliament during the week that she will easily secure a majority.