Francesca De Benedetti

Viktor Orbán’s political strategies influence Giorgia Meloni’s tactics. The relationship is not unidirectional. In the current moment, it is the Italian leader who holds Orbán’s European future in her hands. The “Melonization” of European politics is something that Orbán can only dream about. The different trajectories of Fidesz and Brothers of Italy belie a set of close connections. The division of roles between the two––who plays the tactics, who conceives the strategy––is part of a broader common purpose. Investigating these connections is crucial.