The new Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is going on her first diplomatic mission as head of government on Thursday, choosing Brussels and the EU as her first port of call.
In the heart of Europe, the far-right leader will meet with the head of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and finally Charles Michel, the President of the Council of Europe.
Previously, von der Leyen has been critical of Meloni, who won the election victory in late September with her post-fascist party Brothers of Italy. At the time, the Commission president had warned Italians of the consequences their country would face if it deviated from the principles of democracy.
Once a eurosceptic
Meloni, known for her eurosceptic stance, is releasing a book on Friday in which she accuses Europe of being "intrusive on the small things but absent on the big things".
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That the Italian leader is now visiting the European institutions on her first overseas visit appears to be part of a shift towards a more pragmatic approach to the EU.
Last month, shortly after becoming prime minister, she also promised that Italy would respect EU rules.
