Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni applauds Pope Francis during a meeting about families and Italy's declining birthrate May 12, 2023, in Rome. Photo: CNS/Vatican Media After the leader of the Italian bishops recently appeared to throw cold water on a key constitutional reform backed by Italy’s conservative government, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni essentially told the bishops to back off, reminding them that “the Vatican state is not a parliamentary republic”.
President Meloni made the comments in a May 30 interview on Italian television, in response to May 23 comments from Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, president of the powerful Italian bishops’ conference CEI and a key ally of Pope Francis.
In his remarks on May 23, Cardinal Zuppi seemed to many Italians to lean toward that critical view. “Institutional equilibriums always should be touched only with great care,” he said. “Some bishops focused on this, expressing concern.”
In her May 30 television appearance, President Meloni was asked about Cardinal Zuppi’s comments. “I don’t know exactly what worries the Italian bishops’ conference, since the reform of the premiership doesn’t affect relations between Church and state,” she said. “But let me also say, with all due respect, that it doesn’t seem to me that the Vatican state is a parliamentary republic, so no one’s ever said they [should be] worried about this. So, let’s make sure no one worries.”