Italy

Italians will vote on Sunday to elect a new parliament with a right-wing coalition tipped to form a solid majority.

But as the prospect of becoming prime minister nears, at a time when Italy is receiving much-needed EU funds to shore up its underperforming economy, the 45-year-old has softened her tone. But the party has failed to strike any partnerships that would help it form a governing coalition, while Letta has been criticised for focusing more on attacking Meloni than promoting his party’s actual policies. Led by Enrico Letta, the centre-left party has sought to cast the vote as a stark choice between two opposite and irreconcilable visions. While the right-wing coalition has maintained a united front on certain flagship policies, including opposition towards “illegal immigrants” and gay-rights lobbies, cracks have appeared in the proposed handling of the energy crunch. Meloni has stuck to Draghi’s line: refusing to increase Italy’s record high debt while insisting on capping the price of gas and decoupling it from energy costs. One in every four Italians plans to vote for Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, according to the last survey published before a pre-election ban on September 10.

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If their candidate is able to win a majority in the newly elected Parliament, the president will appoint a potential prime minister to form a new government. The new members of Parliament will be confirmed and convened in Rome in mid-October. But even once the results are known, Italy will not have a new prime minister for weeks. The party has advocated easing the path to citizenship for children of immigrants born in Italy, and wants to increase penalties for discrimination against LGBTQ people. The 5-Star Movement is, like Salvini, dubious of a hard line against Russia and against the shipment of Italian weapons to help Ukraine. The center-left Democratic Party has argued to continue the hard line against Russia and has emphasized energy policies that focus on renewable sources, cutting costs for low and medium-income families, and installing regasification plants to increase natural gas supplies as Italy faces shortages from Russia. It is also seeking to reinvest in nuclear energy, which Italy has not produced since the 1990s and banned in a 2011 referendum. Even though she has been in the opposition, where she criticized Meloni, in part to reassure an international audience that she is a credible and acceptable option, has been a consistent and outspoken supporter of Ukraine throughout the war. But Meloni’s support has polled around 25%, and the right is expected to gain many more seats in Parliament, the basis upon which the government is composed. The once anti-establishment 5-Star Movement cratered from its strong showing in 2018, when it had more than 30% of the vote. If she does as well as expected, she is poised to be Italy’s first female prime minister.

“Most, unfortunately, these inmates lack a basic understanding of the language and resources for legal aid.” No fewer than 36 Nigerians have been detained ...

“Hence, many migrants resort to hawking, begging and other anti-social behaviours to the chagrin of host communities. These young stars are excited to make it to Europe alive, seeing it as a second chance in life. “Prevention of crime is justification for arrest and restraint of liberties.