Giorgia Meloni's Leadership Style: A Critical Examination through Discourse Analysis

Abstract

The Italian political landscape is characterized by a diverse array of personalities, each with their own style, ideology, and approach to leadership. Among these emerging figures, Giorgia Meloni has distinguished herself as one of the most influential and controversial voices of the recent period, primarily for being the first female Prime Minister. This paper will analyze the political history of the Italian premier and her communicative style. In particular, the study will focus on the speech Meloni delivered at the end of April 2024 during a programmatic conference of Fratelli d’Italia. Using discourse analysis techniques, we will examine the most frequently used words by the leader, common connections, and the most cited topics. In addition to analyzing the written discourse, we will conduct an analysis of body language. Meloni has consistently adopted a very strong communicative style, often comparable to that of men. Indeed, female political leaders know no other model than the male one of autonomy and power and tend to reproduce it, naturalizing and embedding the male leadership style as the only correct one. Consequently, even if there is a woman in charge, her political experience will always be kept under control by the men around her. Meloni is the clear example of a hidden male leadership behind the guise of a woman's body.