In 2026, Giorgia Meloni's government led by the far-right Brothers of Italy surpassed Silvio Berlusconi's record of 1,412 consecutive days, becoming Italy's longest-serving government since World War II. ^[1] Retired Italian General Roberto Vannacci posted a photoshopped image on his social media pages showing him wearing a Soviet soldier's cap and holding a shot glass of vodka. ^[2] Grazia Di Maggio, the youngest member of the Chamber of Deputies for Brothers of Italy, hailed the government's record-breaking longevity as 'profoundly symbolic', noting that Meloni is the first woman to hold the office of prime minister and comes from a right-wing background. ^[3] Paolo Carusi also said that Meloni is grappling with the rapid ascent of a new far-right party led by former army general Roberto Vannacci, which has become Italy's fourth most popular political force only seven months after its launch, and that in the 2027 general election Vannacci's National Future will be able to claim to be the only true upholder of right-wing values. ^[4] Piero Ignazi also said the government introduced 52 new felonies related to the expression of public dissent and the right to protest, calling it a dangerous setback and a harbinger of more if another right-wing government is elected. ^[5] The Financial Times reported calling Vannacci Moscow's 'Trojan horse' in Italy, prompting his response. ^[6] Vannacci claimed that while alleged Russian interference in elections makes front-page news, no one seems to care about the influence being exerted on Italian elections by the Financial Times and other media outlets controlled by global financial power brokers. ^[7] Vannacci, the founder of the new National Future party, stated that the UK newspaper is attempting to influence the electoral process in Italy. ^[8] Riccardo Alcaro said that if an election were held tomorrow with the same coalition, Meloni would lose, and that adding Vannacci's party to the coalition carries risk. ^[9] Riccardo Alcaro, head of research at the Rome-based International Affairs Institute, said Meloni's coalition's legislative record was 'really thin' but that Italians view her international record positively, including her immediate support for Ukraine. ^[10]