Record held by Berlusconi II government with 1,412 days.

Italy's right-wing prime minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday announced that her government is the fifth longest-serving in the 79-year history of the Italian republic.

The current coalition has clocked up 887 days since taking office in Palazzo Chigi on 22 October 2022, putting it just ahead of the first Romano Prodi government which lasted 886 days (from 18 May 1996 to 21 October 1998).

Hailing it as a "significant milestone", Meloni noted that Italy has had 68 governments since 1946, meaning that "we have climbed 63 positions in about 127 weeks of government".

Un traguardo significativo per il Governo e una riflessione che voglio condividere con tutti voi. pic.twitter.com/cBVB1BsDrg— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) March 27, 2025

Meloni, leader of the right-wing Fratelli d'Italia, shares power with her coalition partners, deputy premiers Matteo Salvini and Antonio Tajani, respectively leaders of the right-wing Lega and centre-right Forza Italia.

The prime minister played down reports of increasingly tense relations between Salvini and Tajani, claiming that the coalition majority is "still united, we are moving forward seriously and determined".

Meloni claimed that after two and a half years, the government is still united and it still has the support of the majority of citizens.

Premierato

Meloni also stressed the "fundamental" need for the so-called Premierato, a controversial bill to reform Italy's constitution to allow for the direct election of a prime minister.

Meloni's proposal would see Italian voters directly elect prime ministers for five-year terms, with the coalition that supports the winning candidate given at least 55 per cent of seats in both houses of parliament to ensure a workable majority.

Currently being debated in parliament, Meloni claims that the Premierato would lead to stronger, more stable governments and end revolving door administrations in Italy which has had 68 governments since 1946.

However the opposition parties and critics of the plan say it could strip the parliament and president of important powers and could lead to a more authoritarian government.

"It is a reform that I consider fundamental for Italy because it does two essential things" - Meloni said on Thursday - "It gives citizens back the full power to choose who they want to be governed by, and it guarantees that whoever is chosen has the necessary time to carry out the mandate they have received".

"It will finally be possible to give continuity to long-term strategies and build a stronger, more authoritative, more competitive Italy", she added.

Meloni stressed that the reform would benefit governments to come, "because a more solid Italy needs stable institutions and governments that can work with the time and strength necessary to give concrete answers to the nation".

Italy's top four longest-serving governments

Topping the ranking of Italy's longest-lived executives is Silvio Berlusconi with his second government, which served for 1,412 days, from 11 June 2001 to 23 April 2005.

Berlusconi also holds second place in the ranking, with his fourth executive holding power for 1,287 days, from 8 May 2008 to 16 November 2011.

In third place is the first Bettino Craxi government, which remained in office for 1,093 days in the period between 4 August 1983 and 1 August 1986.

The fourth longest-serving government, led by Matteo Renzi, left Palazzo Chigi after 1,024 days, having served from 22 February 2014 to 12 December 2016.

Photo credit: Marco Iacobucci Epp / Shutterstock.com.