Giorgia Meloni is the first woman to head the government of Italy

Georgia Meloni became Italy's first woman prime minister after she and her cabinet members were sworn in on Saturday, starting the term of the most right-wing government since World War Two.

Meloni, 45, heads the nationalist Brothers of Italy party and won the election last month as part of a coalition of conservative parties that includes Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia and Matteo Salvini's League.

Meloni's government succeeded a national unity government headed by former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi.

It faces a series of daunting challenges, notably a looming recession, rising energy bills, and how to present a united front against the war in Ukraine.

After days of mostly tense and behind-the-scenes talks, Meloni announced the names of her cabinet members on Friday, assigning five ministries to each of her junior coalition partners, Forza and the League, and keeping nine for her party.

Technocrats make up the rest of the government's team of 24 officials, of whom only six are women.

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