ROME – Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni will have another confidence vote in the senate on Wednesday. After being granted 235 votes in favour from the lower house on Tuesday, it is expected that she will again win the approval of the senate by a comfortable margin. 

 Meloni expressed her main goals for Italy’s new far right government during a 70-minute keynote speech at the recent senate vote. She pledged to tackle issues such as the skyrocketing energy prices and the crisis in Ukraine. 

 She also mentioned her plans to boost Italy’s birthrate, while condemning the LGBT community. She stated, “We need a massive plan, economic but also cultural, to rediscover the beauty of parenthood and put the family back at the center of society.” She denounced LGBT families and expressed her disdain for “their ideology.” 

 Meloni also defended herself against widespread criticism stating, “I have no sympathy for fascism.” She then detailed her plans to secure borders and prevent migrants from coming from northern Africa.

 Her speech won the approval of the lower house, and she is now expected to comfortably gain the approval of the upper house on Wednesday, after which she can begin governing.

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