Italy’s Foreign Policy and Its (Un)successful Attempts at EU Reform

This article analyzes the attempts by Giorgia Meloni’s government (2022–2024) to implement the “Europe of Fatherlands” (Europa delle Patrie) concept – a project aimed at strengthening national sovereignty and promoting an intergovernmental approach in Italy’s relations with the EU. Based on annual reports from the Institute of International Affairs (IAI), it examines key initiatives and their outcomes: reform of the Stability and Growth Pact, ratification of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), the 2024 conflict over EU leadership appointments, and migration policy. The analysis reveals a systemic failure of ambitions to reform the EU. The government’s tangible successes (management of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan/PNRR, fiscal discipline) were achieved through pragmatic cooperation with EU institutions, not defiance of them. Primary reasons for failure include intracoalition contradictions, Italy’s economic fragility, misunderstanding of EU mechanisms, and the inevitable prioritization of national interests requiring engagement with Brussels. The result is a shift from ideology to “Europragmatism”, where survival within the EU system takes precedence over its radical restructuring.