The rise of populism and nationalism has become a notable feature in a number of European states over the past few years. Reinforced by the Covid-19 pandemic, some governments resorted to less than democratic actions and policies at variance with the rule of law. Against this background, this podcast debue in on the case of Italy and provides insights and discussion on Georgia Meloni, who was elected Prime Minister in October 2022. Panelists: Milana Bagdasarian, Kadiralp Topbas, and Rita Ventura consider the extent to which Meloni and her agenda align with far-right ideologies in Italy's past and what the effects of this might be for the country, Europe, and the future of democracy.  This podcast was produced in Collegium Civitas as part of the DEBUE project: "Debating Europe: Internal and External Dynamics of European Integration". The project is co-funded by the European Union under Jean Monnet Programme.