In an article published by Le Nouvel Obs in July, writer Emmanuel Carrère recounted behind-the-scenes moments at the G7 summit in Canada. As he faced this small theater of powerlessness and vanity, one figure captivated him and gave him pause. "I know that Meloni is considered far right and that I shouldn't say anything positive about her," he wrote, before admiring "her very light sky-blue dress [that] almost looked like a beach dress" and her "cheerful roughness." Later, he admitted feeling a certain sympathy for the Italian prime minister, particularly because of her entertaining personality, her expressive gestures and trademark eye-rolls. He then wondered whether, as a foreigner, he would feel the same about Marine Le Pen.

Thirty years ago, Meloni was an energetic young neo-fascist activist from the outskirts of Rome, loudly proclaiming her admiration for Benito Mussolini (1883-1945). As a professional politician, she quickly rose within a marginal political family that she led to the heart of power, always maintaining a trail of breadcrumbs directly linked to fascism. After this revenge came other victories: European recognition, acceptance among the powerful, and even the sympathy of a major French writer. Meloni has become a model to which the French right aspires. Her international image and the stability of her government have given them hope.

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