Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and opposition leader Elly Schlein will face off in an unprecedented debate on May 23rd, ahead of the European elections. This will be the first time in Italian history that a sitting Prime Minister and the head of the opposition engage in a debate.
Meloni, the leader of the Brothers of Italy party, has been in power since October 2022 as part of a coalition with other right-wing parties. Schlein, on the other hand, was elected to lead the opposition center-left Democratic Party (PD) in March 2023. Both Meloni and Schlein are at the top of their party’s lists for the June 8-9 European elections, but neither plans to take their seats in the European Parliament.
Meloni’s party, Brothers of Italy, is currently polling at 27% for the European vote, while the PD is at 20%. The debate is expected to focus on a range of issues, including the economy, immigration, and healthcare.
While both Meloni and Schlein are the first women to hold their respective positions, they come from very different backgrounds. Meloni, 46, is a skilled orator with a modest suburban background. Her party emphasizes Italy’s Christian roots and has made fighting immigration a top priority. Schlein, 39, is in a relationship with another woman and comes from an academic family. She also holds US and Swiss nationality. She is less comfortable with public speaking than her rival.
The debate is being hosted by Rai1, the flagship station of the state broadcaster. Negotiations over organizing the debate were reportedly difficult, with both teams accusing each other of interference. Schlein has accused the right-wing governing coalition of interfering with coverage at Rai, which she says has become a “government megaphone”.
Rai journalists have told AFP that investigative reporters have been pushed aside, pro-government commentators promoted, and programs critical of government members canceled or watered down. “I have worked at Rai for 20 years but I have never felt such pressure or seen as much censorship,” Enrica Agostini, a journalist at Rai News, told the Foreign Press Association in Rome.
Some Rai journalists held a 24-hour strike this week, though most programming continued as usual thanks to a union more favorable to the government not joining.
The debate is expected to be closely watched by Italian voters, as it will be the first time they have the opportunity to see Meloni and Schlein go head-to-head. The outcome of the debate could have a significant impact on the upcoming European elections.
