Italy’s Meloni says she quit smoking ‘Last Month’ at G7 event
PARIS: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said she has quit smoking, revealing the update during informal conversations with world leaders on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France.
Meloni reportedly made the comment during a casual exchange among European leaders, where she said she now relies on coffee to stay alert. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz jokingly referenced smoking during the discussion, prompting Meloni to respond that she had stopped the habit last month.
The Italian leader has previously said in interviews that she had remained smoke-free for 13 years before later resuming smoking.
Following her remarks, Turkish media resurfaced footage from an October 2025 meeting in Egypt in which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seen advising Meloni to quit smoking.
Erdogan is known for his long-standing anti-smoking stance and has frequently encouraged public figures and citizens to give up the habit. His remarks have since drawn renewed attention on Turkish social media after Meloni’s announcement.