ROME: The far-right party of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Brothers of Italy, has slipped in the polls ahead of the European elections, but remains well ahead of its rivals, polls show.
According to a survey conducted by the Ipsos institute for Corriere della Sera on May 20-21, Brothers of Italy currently commands 26.5 percent of voting intentions, down by two points from April. However, despite this setback, the party remains firmly ahead of its competitors.
Italy’s center-left Democratic Party has seen a marginal increase, rising to 22.5 percent in the latest poll, while the Five Star Movement, occupying third place, experienced a slight decline to 15.4 percent.
Forza Italia, founded by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and a key component of Italy’s right-leaning coalition, has seen a modest uptick to 9.2 percent, positioning it as the second-largest party within the coalition.
The dip in popularity for Brothers of Italy poses a challenge to Matteo Salvini’s anti-migrant League, which has seen its support rise marginally to 8.6 percent.
Nando Pagnoncelli, head of Ipsos, noted that while Brothers of Italy’s current polling figures remain above their performance in the 2022 national elections, they do not represent a significant improvement, suggesting a plateau in support.
Despite the slight decline, the Ipsos poll indicates the likelihood of Brothers of Italy securing a notable presence in the European Parliament, with projections suggesting an increase from six to 22 MEPs, while the League faces a potential decrease from 29 to seven parliamentarians.
A weighted average of multiple polls conducted between May 9-22, published by Youtrend, further corroborates Brothers of Italy’s lead, crediting them with 27.2 percent of voting intentions.
