A Gathering of Global Leaders
President Biden and other G7 leaders observed a skydiving demonstration at the summit in Fasano, southern Italy, on Thursday. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stood out not for her hard-right politics but for her approval rating, which remains above 40%.
The Significance of the G7 Summit
Meloni’s political stance is gaining traction in Europe, as evidenced by the recent EU elections. She hosted a summit attended by several leaders facing significant political challenges.
Biden’s Position
President Biden arrived in Italy while trailing former President Trump in most polls, just a day after his son Hunter was convicted on felony gun charges. Despite his 37% approval rating, Biden fares better compared to other leaders at the summit.
- Canadian PM Justin Trudeau: 30%
- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz: 25%
- U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak: 25%
- French President Emmanuel Macron: 21%
- Japanese PM Fumio Kishida: 13%
Upcoming Challenges for Other Leaders
Sunak faces an almost certain loss in the upcoming elections on July 4. In the European Parliament elections, Scholz’s party finished third behind the far-right, and Macron’s performance was so poor that it led to a snap election call.
Expected Announcements
Despite their political struggles, the G7 leaders are expected to make significant announcements. They are preparing to offer Ukraine a $50 billion loan funded by interest from frozen Russian assets.
