Italian PM Meloni reveals she stopped smoking at G7 summit

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz jokingly referenced cigarettes during the conversation.

PARIS: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has revealed that she has quit smoking, making the announcement during informal conversations with world leaders on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France.

Meloni, speaking during an exchange among European leaders, said she now relies on coffee to stay alert. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz jokingly referenced cigarettes during the conversation, prompting Meloni to respond that she had stopped smoking last month.

The Italian leader has previously said in interviews that she had remained smoke-free for 13 years before later resuming the habit.

Turkish media subsequently reshared 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 abandon the habit.

His remarks have drawn renewed attention on Turkish social media following Meloni’s announcement.