Italy moved into a new page of its political saga as Ignatius LaRussa, a longtime ally of Giorgia Meloni and a prominent figure within the Brothers of Italy (FdI), was chosen this Thursday in a key parliamentary move. He is widely regarded as a close associate and trusted adviser to Meloni, and his election as president of the Senate signals a shaping of the right-wing coalition’s leadership as the country eyes the next government formation. The vote results highlighted both the bitterness and the cohesion within the ruling bloc as it seeks to solidify control after a recent electoral process.
The vote tallies showed LaRussa securing 116 favorable votes, comfortably above the 104 required for confirmation, while 65 ballots were left blank. The outcome underscores the coalition’s internal agreement even as cracks and dissenting voices emerged from within its ranks. The supporting bloc includes members from Forza Italia, the center-right party led by Silvio Berlusconi, who have stood alongside the FdI and Matteo Salvini’s League in a broad conservative alliance.
Among Forza Italia’s senators, only Berlusconi and Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, the former Senate president, publicly voted in favor of LaRussa. The rest of the party’s senators did not appear at the session, a sign of the rotation and strategic maneuvering characteristic of Italy’s often fluid parliamentary labor. This absence points to ongoing negotiations and internal positioning as the coalition negotiates its next steps and ministry allocations.
In the lower house, lawmakers are preparing to hold a second round of elections for leadership, with observers noting a consensus trend favoring Riccardo Molinari of the League should the first attempt fail to secure the necessary bloc. Molinari’s emergence would reflect the League’s ambition to anchor the executive branch within the broader right-wing coalition while balancing the interests of its partner parties.
Giorgia Meloni, who leads the Brothers of Italy, is expected to play a central role in formulating the government’s composition. Meloni’s party secured the largest share of votes in the latest round, and a realistic plan is under discussion to allocate the ministerial posts in a way that reflects the coalition’s diverse political makeup. The preliminary arrangement signals eight ministries for the League, with the same number reserved for Forza Italia, each holding a substantial if varied influence within policy areas ranging from economy and defense to social affairs.
As the 19th legislature begins its session, the two chambers of Parliament—comprising 400 deputies and 200 senators—hold their first procedural steps. The opening day traditionally centers on the election of the presidents of the two houses, a ceremonial marker that also sets the tone for the legislative calendar ahead. Observers note that the early sessions will test not only the coalition’s stamina but also its capacity to coordinate across party lines on budgetary measures, reform initiatives, and Italy’s role within the European Union. The ongoing process reflects the complexity of governing in a multiparty system where ideological unity must often yield to pragmatic compromise.