Meloni was brought up by a single mother after her father abandoned them following her birth.
Her political career started in Rome’s working-class Garbatella neighbourhood when she was only 15.
Meloni currently heads the Brothers of Italy (FdI) political party, which traces its roots back to a far-right group formed after World War Two.
Her agenda: lower taxes and blocking refugees
Meloni’s political ideology strongly embraces identity politics and focuses on defending national borders, national interests and the “traditional family" values.