Italy's Meloni just hit a major political milestone. Former leaders say economic reform must follow

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Palazzo Chigi on July 20, 2026 in Rome, Italy.Simona Granati | Corbis News | Getty ImagesGreater political stability under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government has boosted Italy's appeal in the eyes of international investors, but the country's former leaders say more needs to be done.Speaking to CNBC on Friday, two former prime ministers of Italy said reform is necessary to boost the Mediterranean country's stuttering economy. On Friday evening, Meloni's coalition government, which took office in October 2022, held a rally in the port city of Bari to mark its becoming Italy's longest-serving cabinet since World War II. "In these years we have worked to increase employment, reduce unemployment, support families and businesses, strengthen security, manage public finances with seriousness, and restore to Italy weight and credibility on the international stage," Meloni said in a translated statement on Friday.Italy's economy slowsThe milestone is particularly notable in a country long associated with political instability — a problem heightened by the 2010 to 2012 euro zone sovereign debt crisis — with 68 governments serving over 80 years...