Do it like Meloni. The ideology with which the Italian Prime Minister won the elections and her communication tactics appear to be copied by Maria Karystianou. Yesterday’s statement by the former president of the Tempe Victims’ Relatives Association on abortions actually confirmed what many are saying – that her role model is Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who with her extreme positions and views managed to stand out from the establishment parties “enchanting the masses.”
Karystianou follows Meloni’s steps: How she copies the anti-establishment recipe and flirts with the far-right audience, why she plays the abortion card
In September 2022, the Italian Prime Minister had as her main slogan “I am Giorgia, I am a woman, I am a mother, I am a Christian,” while simultaneously opening a major debate on the issue of abortion. Something similar is being said today in different words by Maria Karystianou, putting the issue of abortion on the discussion table – an issue that was settled in 1986 under Andreas Papandreou. Certainly what Maria Karystianou said was not said out of ignorance, nor did it slip out, as she expressed an informed opinion on the subject. “I respect free will. It is important and guaranteed,” she noted and remarked that in her opinion society should “decide what it would like to happen.” “There is a particularity to this issue. Because it concerns women’s rights. It’s her issue, that’s the truth. But it also concerns the rights of the embryo and I as a pediatrician am torn on this issue,” she added. Given that at that particular moment the issue of abortion was not in public dialogue, Maria Karystianou attempts to bring it up for discussion, thus polarizing the situation. At the same time, the fact that all parties reacted gave her another argument in her basic narrative, which is none other than that they are all the same. Government and opposition.
In parallel, she made yet another more specific nod to the audience she is targeting, which is none other than the far-right audience and extremely religious citizens.
What is the former president of the Tempe Victims’ Relatives Association actually doing? Operating as the new Meloni – even appearance-wise the two women are very close, as they have straight blonde hair and wear blazers that evoke the modern working woman – she raises issues related to morality, dignity, justice and responsibility. Both speak with clear human arguments and not as technocrats. “Abortion concerns women’s rights, but also the embryo’s rights,” said Maria Karystianou and invoking her pediatric background said she cannot decide who is right.
Giorgia Meloni used rhetoric of “order, responsibility and control,” while seeing herself as an outsider fighting against the system on behalf of citizens. Exactly what Maria Karystianou is doing. They use anti-establishment and intensely emotional language. Meloni rhetorically turned against “bureaucratic elites,” Maria Karystianou against state impunity and cover-ups and now in favor of embryo rights. Let’s remember that Giorgia Meloni had clear, documented conservative/anti-abortion rhetoric, while promoting policies that strengthen “motherhood” as an alternative and gave space to anti-abortion organizations. The Italian Prime Minister was clearly a right-wing conservative, nationalist politician. Maria Karystianou from the moment she appeared in politics unfolds an agenda that clearly appeals to a far-right audience, despite the fact that she tries to convince voters that she doesn’t target either right or left.
