Six months in power: Italian PM Meloni 'collides with reality'

"In recent years, Europe has meddled in everything, including how insects are cooked," exclaimed Giorgia Meloni as she criticised the European Union, in front of a dedicated audience waving Italian flags.

It was one of Meloni's last electoral rallies before she made history: on October 22 the 46-year-old, as the leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, became the country's first female premier.

"What hand is it? I have to be careful," Meloni joked on stage, raising a hand in what could have been interpreted as a fascist salute. "What a desire!" she added to the laughter of the public.

Now that Meloni has been in charge of the Government for six months, what has happened to the anti-European and nationalist promises?

"Evidently she came with baggage and a resume that, in a sense, scared many international observers because there was talk of post-fascism," explained Cecilia Sottilotta, assistant professor of Political Science at the University for Foreigners in Perugia. "So Meloni immediately began to communicate very carefully and kept a very low, very reassuring profile internationally."

Meloni then followed in the footsteps of her predecessor, former Prime Minister Mario Draghi, then leader of the centre-left Italian Democratic Party (PD), by reaffirming alliances with the United States, NATO and Italy's commitment to the EU.

"In respect of foreign policy and economic policy, the Meloni government, like any other Italian government, regardless of political ideology, has had its hands tied," added Sottilotta.

Italy's relationship with Brussels affects the allocation of subsidies.

One-third of planned payments from the EU, amounting to some €19 billion, have been suspended since the end of March. The European Commission