Brothers Party leader Georgia Meloni:

The Italian left pursued an agenda that missed the daily life of the average person

Meloni wanted to be an interpreter, not a politician.

Reuters

The leader of the Italian "Brothers" party, Giorgia Meloni, who has the best chance in the upcoming Italian elections, considers politics a personal matter, and says that when she got involved in politics, she never thought of becoming a politician, but rather a translator, and now she is a journalist.

In an interview with The Washington Post, she spoke about her party's conservative values, educational freedom, the centrality of the family and its role in society, protecting borders from unrestricted immigration, and defending Italian national identity. Here are excerpts from the interview:

■ There are many terms to choose from when describing your party, is it right-wing nationalist, far-right, or conservative?

What term do you think fits your party?

■■ Conservative.. I am the president of the European Conservatives, and for a long time I referred to the Brothers of Italy party as a conservative party.

I think there is no doubt that our values ​​are conservative ones.

The issue of individual freedom, private institutions in the economy, educational freedom, the centrality of the family and its role in our society, the protection of borders from unrestricted immigration, and the defense of national identity, these are issues that we care about;

So there is no doubt that we are conservative.

■ You spoke in your book citing boys who bullied you because of your weight, and about the benefit of having enemies, and now as a politician you are taunting your opponents;

The left obsessed with smashing you - for example - but if you became the country's leader, would you risk making the left-leaning part of the country feel at odds with you, or would you try to get to the other side?

And if so, how do you do that?

■■ I never hate anyone and I will talk to everyone, because I have no excuses for superiority and no inferiority complex, and basically I have a mature attitude towards my political opponents, and as I roam in Italy from north to south along the course of the election campaign, I continue to meet former left-wing voters who They tell me, “I was a leftist, but this time I will vote for you,” and you know why?

Because the Italian left has forgotten the world of work, and pursued an ideological agenda that overlooked the everyday life of the ordinary person to whom we seek real answers.

■ When we spoke to your constituents they indicated that they are more attracted to you, because of the messages they received about reforming the country economically, dealing with crazy bureaucracy, and helping to raise gas prices, but we rarely hear them raise issues that fall under the category of culture war.

You obviously feel very personally about this in terms of sexuality,... Do you think such issues attract voters to you or might they actually cost your voters?

■■ No, I don't think issues like this attract votes, but I also think people should know how I feel about it, as I'm someone who is never afraid to take positions that turn out to be unhelpful.

I think the Italians trust our party, and they trust me, because they know that if I think of something I will do it.

I know these are all very contentious issues, but they are only divisive if we don't talk about them seriously, right?

I do not support adoption (by same-sex couples).

I'm not, because I think the unlucky kid should have the better life, right?

The best thing is that he has a father and a mother.

I grew up without a father, did I grow up well?

For the love of God, yes, and did I want a father?

yes.

■ In your speeches during the election campaign, you outlined the reasons why Italy is in a difficult situation, and of course we've seen many prime ministers get the job, but they don't achieve their goals.. Quite frankly: do you want to be prime minister?

■■ [laughs] No, and what I mean by that is that I don't see politics as a personal matter.

When I got involved in politics I never thought I would become a politician.

I really wanted to be an interpreter, and I am now a journalist, so if Italian citizens decided to accept the proposal of the Fraternity of Italy - that is, "We want you, Georgia Meloni, to be prime minister" - I will be prime minister, bearing in mind that this choice is ultimately up to me. to the President of the Republic.

I cannot say that in the face of such a responsibility I do not shake my hand;

Because we are going to rule Italy through what may be one of the most complex situations ever.

• I never hate anyone and will talk to everyone, because I don't have excuses for excellence, and I don't have an inferiority complex.

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