Her voice is known for being hoarse, raspy from smoke, able to deliver a hypnotic staccato of facts before soaring into sharp recriminations or ridiculing her opponents with merciless irony, tinged with the Roman accent she enjoys playing up before crowds. A major acoustic signature of Giorgia Meloni's performance of power, the Italian prime minister's voice is on its way to becoming aed trademark.

In early October, the far-right leader who comes from a neo-fascist background began the process ofing her voice with the European Union Intellectual Property Office. Meloni, who has already been the victim of several deepfakes – AI-generated videos using her face and voice in increasingly realistic ways to spread fake news – was assisted by an Italian law firm in filing an application, which, according to the agency's website, remains under review. The application includes a four-second recording in which she repeats twice: "I am Giorgia Meloni."

She is the first high-profile political figure to seek a trademark for her voice, a move previously reserved for artists such as American singer Taylor Swift or actor Matthew McConaughey. The Italian press, following a report by La Repubblica, widely covered the prime minister's initiative, which was presented by the law firm representing her as a potential deterrent to deepfakes.