Overview
- At the close of the G7 in Evian on Wednesday, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Roberto Vannacci's Futuro Nazionale has declared it will not join the centre-right and called his repeated votes against government confidence 'functional to the left'.
- Vannacci replied sharply through news agencies that Meloni should speak to him directly, keeping the dispute in the headlines and personalising the split between the two leaders.
- Meloni used the stage to defend the government's recent introduction of a femminicidio offence and criticised Vannacci for calling for its repeal, using the policy to draw a clear ideological line between her party and FnV.
- Party strategists and media commentary now debate whether FnV's polling strength is overstated and whether that should speed up or stall plans to push an electoral-law reform that encourages formal pre-election coalitions.
- The dispute could change voters' choices and coalition tactics ahead of the next national vote, so the next signs to watch are solo polling tests for FnV and any moves in Rome to advance the electoral-law changes.