The government of Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s first female prime minister and leader of a party with neo-fascist origins, has been sworn in.

Meloni, 45, and her cabinet took the oath before the Italian president, Sergio Mattarella, on Saturday.

The political firebrand from Rome has taken the helm of Italy’s 68th government since the end of the second world war, and her Brothers of Italy party leads an alliance including Matteo Salvini’s far-right League and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia that holds the largest majority of any coalition government in the country since 1994.

Meloni will give a speech in parliament over the next few days and must win a vote of confidence in both chambers, more of a formality given the solid majority, before her government can assume full powers.