Welcome to the Brussels Edition, Bloomberg’s daily briefing on what matters most in the heart of the European Union.

Trusting her gut and relying on a what-you-see-is-what-you-get approach have been hallmarks of Giorgia Meloni’s political tenure, and it’s helped her become the first woman to secure Italy’s top job. After just over a year in power, she’s had her share of missteps, but it’s clear the 46-year-old has boxed in rivals, consolidated power and reshaped the center-right almost entirely in her nationalist image, while at the same time demonstrating flexibility and pragmatism. She has the last word on every initiative, from corporate deals to foreign policy, senior government officials tell us. Her fingerprints are all over appointments at Enel, the decision to take a stake in Telecom Italia’s network business and the move to back out of an investment pact with China. Read more on her eventful year in power and how she draws support domestically and abroad.