ROME/TOKYO — Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has reached a political milestone few Italian leaders have managed in the postwar era, prompting congratulations from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as Tokyo and Rome look to deepen their strategic partnership.
Meloni’s government became the longest continuously serving government in the history of Italy’s postwar republic on September 4, surpassing the previous record held by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
The milestone came after Meloni’s administration passed the 1,412-day mark set by Berlusconi’s second government, which lasted from 2001 to 2005. Reuters reported that Meloni marked the achievement at a political rally in Bari, where she presented political stability as one of the defining accomplishments of her administration.
The achievement is particularly significant in Italy, a country known for frequent changes of government since the republic was established in 1946. Reuters noted that Italy has had 68 governments and 31 prime ministers during the postwar period, with the average government lasting roughly 14 months.
Takaichi sends congratulations
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was among the international leaders who congratulated Meloni following the record.
Takaichi described Meloni as a dear friend and praised her for becoming the Italian prime minister who has remained continuously in office for the longest period during the postwar era.
The Japanese leader also highlighted the relationship between Tokyo and Rome, pointing to meetings between the two leaders during 2026 and the growing friendship and mutual trust between Japan and Italy.
The timing carries additional diplomatic significance: 2026 marks the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Italy. Both countries have described their relationship as a special strategic partnership. Italian news agency Adnkronos reported that Takaichi emphasized the two leaders’ meetings this year and their efforts to further strengthen bilateral relations.
Takaichi’s message places the political milestone within a broader diplomatic relationship that has been gaining importance for both countries.
Meloni: Stability is more than a record
Meloni herself played down the idea that the achievement should simply be treated as a personal political trophy.
In a statement marking the milestone, she argued that stability gives a country the ability to plan, make decisions, honor commitments and strengthen its standing internationally.
She credited her governing coalition and Italian voters for keeping the administration together since her victory in the 2022 election.
Meloni also pointed to employment, support for families and businesses, public finances, security and Italy’s international position as areas in which her government says it has made progress. At the same time, she acknowledged that substantial work remains.
That message is central to Meloni’s effort to define her tenure: not simply as a government that survived longer than its predecessors, but as one that she says has brought greater political predictability to Italy.
Record longevity does not mean a record without controversy
Meloni’s political durability has attracted international attention, but her government’s record remains contested.
The Associated Press reported that supporters credit her administration with job growth, lower unemployment, fiscal discipline and a reduction in irregular migration. Critics, however, argue that Italy continues to struggle with longstanding problems including low wages, weak productivity, public-service shortcomings and insufficient structural reforms.
Reuters similarly reported that while financial markets have responded positively to Italy’s fiscal management and political stability, critics say major reforms in areas such as healthcare, education and public administration have not advanced sufficiently.
That tension is likely to become increasingly important as Italy moves toward its next national election in 2027.
Meloni’s ability to keep her coalition together has given her something many Italian governments have lacked: time.
But longevity itself does not guarantee political success.
A wider diplomatic message
The congratulations from Takaichi were not isolated.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Meloni, calling her a friend and saying the achievement reflected the confidence of the Italian people in her leadership. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte were also among those sending messages, according to Adnkronos.
The international response underscores Meloni’s growing visibility beyond Italy’s domestic political scene.
For Japan, the relationship is especially notable because both Tokyo and Rome are major members of the G7 and have increasingly emphasized cooperation on security, economic resilience and strategic issues.
Takaichi’s congratulatory message therefore carries a significance beyond simple political courtesy.
It signals that Japan sees Meloni not only as the leader of a government that has survived Italy’s notoriously unstable political environment, but also as an important partner in an increasingly complex international landscape.
What happens next could be even more important
Meloni has now achieved the longevity record.
The harder question is what she does with the political time it has given her.
Her government still faces economic challenges, opposition criticism and competition from forces further to the right. With Italy heading toward the 2027 election, the record-breaking tenure could ultimately become either a powerful argument for continuity—or a much tougher test of whether years in office produced lasting results.
For Takaichi, meanwhile, the message to Meloni also highlights the increasingly visible relationship between two women leading major G7 countries at a time when both Japan and Italy are seeking stronger strategic partnerships.
Meloni has already made history in Italy by becoming the country’s first woman prime minister.
Now, after breaking the postwar longevity record, her next challenge is no longer simply how long she can stay in power.
It is whether that extraordinary political durability will translate into a legacy strong enough to keep her coalition—and her vision for Italy—in power beyond 2027.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.S
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