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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is considering calling the country's next general election as soon as April, months before the legal deadline ahead of the end of 2027, according to people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported.
Meloni is concerned that her approval rating could decline the longer she waits, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
She is also worried that holding the election late would leave the next government little time to pass a new budget, which must be approved by the end of the year.
The possible early vote comes as Meloni faces political pressure at home and a public dispute with U.S. President Donald Trump, who criticized her popularity and Italy's refusal to allow the United States to use Italian airspace and military infrastructure during the recent conflict with Iran.
Meloni has shared the idea of an early election, one of several plans under consideration, with the office of President Sergio Mattarella, according to the people.
Mattarella oversees the dissolution of parliament and calls new elections.
Spokespeople for Meloni and Mattarella's offices declined to comment on the discussions.
The timing of a possible early election is also linked to the budget process.
Meloni is concerned that waiting too long could leave the incoming government with limited time to pass a budget before the year-end deadline.
The prime minister has been under pressure since March, when she lost a referendum on justice reform, a defeat that led to the ouster of three of her officials.
Since then, the far-right National Future party has gained in polls and accused the prime minister of being too centrist.
The possibility of an early vote comes as Meloni weighs the risk that her approval rating could slide if she waits longer to call elections.
Trump and Meloni escalated a public dispute over the weekend, exchanging pointed messages on social media and revealing a deepening rift between two leaders once considered close ideological allies.
The latest flashpoint came Saturday, when Trump posted on Truth Social that Meloni had "asked, over and over, for a picture" with him during the Group of Seven summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, earlier in the week.
Trump also suggested Meloni was "doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity."
He attributed this partly to Italy's refusal to let the United States use its airspace and military infrastructure during the recent conflict with Iran.
"She wouldn't even let us use Italy's landing strips or runways, a great logistical inconvenience, and this despite the fact the U.S. contributes hundreds of Billions of Dollars a year to protect Italy, and other 'so-called' NATO Allies," Trump wrote.
Trump added that, "after the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again in order to get her 'numbers up.' No thanks!!!"
Meloni responded directly to Trump in a post, addressing him by name.
"President Trump, these constant, unprovoked attacks are senseless," she wrote.
She rejected the suggestion that her standing in Italy was tied to her relationship with the U.S. president, saying her popularity depends on her "ability to defend Italy's national interest, and that is exactly what I have always done."
Meloni also defended her government's handling of American military bases on Italian soil.
She said their use "is governed by agreements that we have always respected, and that cannot be violated as long as I am Prime Minister."
"Italy remains a sovereign nation. In any case, my popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours," Meloni wrote.
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