Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni unintentionally revealed that she has quit smoking once again after being caught on a hot microphone during discussions at the G7 summit in France.
The unexpected admission came while world leaders gathered in the Alpine resort town of Evian-les-Bains ahead of a meeting with US President Donald Trump.
During a casual conversation, Meloni reportedly mentioned that she had needed three cups of coffee to stay awake. The remark prompted fellow leaders to ask whether she had also smoked, leading to the surprise revelation.
The 49-year-old leader responded by saying she had stopped smoking one month ago, prompting congratulations from several leaders present. According to reports, the moment drew a positive reaction from those gathered, with some sharing their own experiences of giving up cigarettes.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reportedly noted that he had once been a heavy smoker before quitting, while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney jokingly asked whether Meloni was using nicotine patches.
The revelation attracted attention because Meloni had previously spoken openly about returning to smoking after becoming prime minister in 2022, having remained smoke-free for more than a decade before taking office.
In past interviews and writings, she acknowledged that the pressures of political leadership contributed to her decision to resume the habit. She also joked that smoking had occasionally helped build rapport with fellow international leaders during diplomatic meetings.
Over the years, photographs of Meloni smoking became a familiar part of her public image and often generated discussion on social media.
Last year, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan even joked during a summit that one of his goals was to convince Meloni to quit smoking again, prompting laughter from other leaders including Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer.
Beyond the lighter moment, Meloni’s attendance at the G7 summit also included diplomatic discussions with Trump aimed at easing tensions between Washington and the Vatican following recent disagreements over comments involving Pope Leo.
Despite political differences, reports indicated that both sides later held constructive talks focused on strengthening cooperation and maintaining Western unity.
For many observers, however, it was Meloni’s candid hot mic confession about quitting smoking that became one of the summit’s most unexpected talking points.
