Around the weekend, Giorgia Meloni, the head of the Brothers of Italy party, succeeded Mario Draghi in a transition of leadership that drew wide attention across Italy and beyond. The moment was marked by a ceremonial bell that signified the formal conclusion of the devolution process and affirmed Meloni’s position as prime minister. The bell, a traditional symbol in Italian government rituals, signaled the official start of the cabinet’s first meeting under new leadership and underscored the continuity of state procedures even as political leadership shifted.
The bell is used to cue the opening of cabinet sessions, and on this occasion it was rung to inaugurate the Sunday proceedings, with Meloni set to chair the first gathering of ministers. Draghi had just completed a historic, high-profile tenure, and the transition work began in earnest as Meloni prepared to lead from the seat of government after taking the oath the previous day.
Prior to the public ceremony, Meloni and Draghi held a private, one-hour meeting at the Quirinal Palace to discuss the transition, the outcome of which remained private. The discreet nature of the talks reflected a smooth, though closely watched handover between two distinctly different political eras in Italy.
Following the ceremony, Meloni convened an initial afternoon meeting with her newly sworn-in cabinet. The ministers, who had taken their oaths the day before, began aligning on policy priorities as Italy entered a period of change. The new government, often described as the most right-leaning in the postwar era, was formed with support from the coalition partners, including Matteo Salvini’s Lega and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia, coalition forces that have long shaped the country’s political landscape. This composition marked a significant milestone for Meloni’s leadership and for the broader trajectory of Italian politics.