The ghost of fascism in Italy

Posted On: September 24, 2022

There are gestures and emblems that are no longer used for the memories they evoke. One of them is the “Roman salute”: the outstretched arm, palm down, marked the Nazi regime. The gesture was even banned in Germany. In Italy there is the “tricolor flame”, a design in the form of a bonfire in the colors of the country’s flag, created by the desire of Benito Mussolini.

The image of the tricolor has just returned to the mainstream of European political life. It is in the logo of Fratelli d’Italia – a party which according to polls is set to emerge victorious in the elections this Sunday 25. Its leader, Giorgia Meloni, comes from the Italian neo-fascist movement. If he becomes prime minister, it will be the first time a fascist politician has led the country since Mussolini’s death in 1945.

In the European Parliament, Fratelli d’Italia is part of a federation which brings together several radical acronyms – among which, Polish law and justice. In Eastern Europe, such parties are eroding the institutions of young democracies. The European Union sees Meloni’s likely election as a test for mature democracies in the Western bloc.

“The main concern of political science today is the election of autocrats and the consequent deterioration of democratic quality,” says Carlos Pereira, columnist for the Stadium. This week, he attended the American Political Science Association conference in Montreal, Canada, where he gave more than 70 presentations on the subject.

Pereira believes in the resilience of civil society in mature democracies. “In countries where there is a plurality of political positions and alternation in power, the life of autocrats becomes more difficult.” He talks about it in this week’s mini-podcast.

Giorgia Meloni is an excellent speaker. His speech of appreciation for Italy gained strength in a country bruised by successive economic crises. Like many European radicals, she advocates restrictions on immigration and rebels against the specter of “globalism”.

In interviews, Meloni says his party has already come to terms with the past and avoids mentioning the forbidden word: “fascism.” His co-religionists do not have the same concern. Mussolini’s tomb at Predappio, is a traditional place of pilgrimage for neo-fascists. Most of its visitors vote for Fratelli d’Italia.

At rallies and demonstrations, Meloni voters gradually returned to using the Roman salute. It is a fascism that dares not whisper its name – but the members of Fratelli d’Italia conjure up the forbidden word with gestures equivalent to shouting.