Inauguration ceremony of Giorgia Meloni’s Government at Palazzo Chigi

After the new Government was sworn in by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, at the Quirinale Palace yesterday, the traditional ‘handover ceremony’ was held today at Palazzo Chigi, between the outgoing President of the Council of Ministers, Mario Draghi, and the newly appointed President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni. Following the ceremony, the first Council of Ministers meeting was held.

The ceremony
Accompanied by the Military Advisor, the President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, received military honours before reviewing the Guard of Honour lined up in the courtyard of Palazzo Chigi. After being greeted by the Secretary General of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, she was then accompanied up the Scalone d’Onore (‘Grand Stairway of Honour’) and into the Sala dei Galeoni (‘Galleon Room’), where she was welcomed by the outgoing President of the Council of Ministers, Mario Draghi. The two then had a confidential handover meeting in the President’s office, after which they were joined by the outgoing Undersecretary of State to the Presidency of the Council, Roberto Garofoli, and the designated Undersecretary of State to the Presidency of the Council, Alfredo Mantovano.

The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, and her predecessor, Mario Draghi, together with their respective Undersecretaries of State and the Secretary General, then returned to the Sala dei Galeoni for the symbolic ceremony to hand over the bell used to open Council of Ministers meetings.

Following the ceremony, President Meloni returned to her office, while the outgoing leader Mario Draghi was accompanied down to the Palazzo Chigi courtyard by the Military Advisor. After receiving military honours from the Guard of Honour, the former President of the Council of Ministers, Mario Draghi, left Palazzo Chigi.