Meloni, Italy, the West: a confused and mediocre 2026
Giorgia Meloni's press conference was an obsolete show, confirming the confusion and mediocrity of Italy and the West: old, unproductive, now at the limit of development and growth. And a disheartening decline in intellectual momentum, compared to both developing countries and the US and Russia, with their mad and imperialist leaders. The editorial by Battista Falconi
Giorgia Meloni's new-year press conference yesterday in the Chamber of Deputies was held in the shadow of a lengthy, wordy article in the Financial Times, published the previous day, predicting a "make or break" 2026. This outlook hinges on the possibility that the prime minister will wait for a victory in the so-called "referendum on the judiciary" to capitalize on the consensus and go to the polls. In reality, however, there are the outcome of the referendum to consider, the option of continuing until the record for the longest-serving government in the Republic (symbolic but politically tempting), the ongoing work on the electoral law, the majority bonus with its associated threshold, and the premiership, and Sergio Mattarella's strong caution on the matter, amid constitutional constraints and hostility to "shortcuts" (Meloni yesterday reiterated her distance from the head of state with chilling respect).
After attending the press conference, rather than excitement, one senses a confused and mediocre 2026. And on this level, little would change, whoever was in Meloni's place, since these characteristics characterize Italy and the West. Even if the incumbent prime minister adds her own tiredness and nervousness: understandable and clearly evident in yesterday's meeting.
In a nutshell, the scenario depicts a country and a Europe that are aging, not very prolific, and at the limits of their potential for development and growth. This is especially true compared to areas of the world where underdevelopment still offers ample scope, thanks to industrial production and technological innovation, which in our country now primarily lead to the loss of jobs. We and our few children are eking out a living on the treasures and fortunes accumulated over the past decades; we can no longer buy cars, build houses, or produce and sell products that are gradually being replaced by immaterial uses.
It's a new way of life, accompanied by a disheartening decline in intellectual drive. And here the difference is marked not only compared to developing countries like Chindia and the BRICS, but also to the US and Russia, where two literally insane leaders reign supreme, inspired by a neuro-divergence that allows them to imagine and attempt to implement any imperialist hypothesis (Rampini is right: the United States has imperialism within it, as do the Russians). Here, in Italy and Europe, it's almost nothing in terms of the quality of public administration, business ethics, imperatives, duties, ambitions: just look at the murderers who walk free due to procedural quibbles, the Crans-Montana bartenders finally arrested, the healthcare system reduced to bureaucracy, the eccentric, persecuted parents from the woods, the indifference toward the courageous protesters in Iran… "And to think that there was thought," one might say with Giorgio Gaber.
The duet between Meloni and Italian journalists yesterday sealed our resounding chatter with the seal of an outdated information system, a media format reduced to the theater of some aspiring phenomenon. Here, the credit fell primarily on the reporters and their questions, so it's ridiculous for Elly Schlein to criticize the prime minister for avoiding the issues that truly matter to citizens. Only the news of Alberto Trentini's release could have provided a surge of adrenaline, but rumors that it would arrive during the meeting proved unfounded.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/mondo/meloni-italia-occidente-un-2026-confuso-e-mediocre/ on Sat, 10 Jan 2026 09:36:46 +0000.