Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the European Union for its bureaucratic complexity and perceived lack of competitiveness during a speech at the annual Confindustria meeting in Rome on Tuesday. Meloni described the EU as a "bureaucratic behemoth" whose extensive regulations inhibit economic growth and weaken Europe’s global influence.

Addressing an audience of leading industrialists, Meloni said the Union’s technocratic and ideological approach has often sacrificed strategic development and competitiveness. She called for renewed efforts between the government and Confindustria to streamline Italy’s own administrative bureaucracy.

The remarks came as Meloni’s conservative coalition secured notable victories in local elections held Sunday and Monday across Italy. More than six million voters participated in contests spanning 700 municipalities, widely regarded as a key indicator of party strength ahead of next year’s general election.

“The much-heralded collapse of the centre-Right has been postponed,” Meloni remarked on social media, responding to opposition hopes for a resurgence of the centre-Left. She also extended congratulations to newly elected mayors, emphasizing the critical challenges they will face in their communities.

One of the most high-profile wins for the centre-Right was in Venice, a city of international significance known for its World Heritage status and long history as an independent trading republic. Simone Venturini, a 38-year-old conservative and protege of outgoing mayor Luigi Brugnaro, claimed the mayoralty. Brugnaro, a businessman who led the city for over a decade, endorsed Venturini’s candidacy. Following the victory, Venturini signaled his intention to establish his own leadership identity, distancing himself from being perceived merely as Brugnaro’s successor.

The local election results provide a boost to Meloni, who last month experienced a political setback when a judicial reform referendum she supported was decisively defeated. Despite that loss, the centre-Right’s ability to maintain control over important municipalities like Venice is being seen as a sign of continued political strength.

Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, now leader of the centre-Left Italia Viva party, acknowledged Venice as the most significant of the recent electoral contests. The outcome has reinforced the centre-Right’s position going into the upcoming national elections and underscores the ongoing political challenges facing Italy’s opposition.