What is so Far Right about Giorgia Meloni and the Brothers of Italy?
If you only glance at the news, you would believe that Italy has reinstated Fascism. “Italians have elected their country’s most right-wing government since the end of World War II,” according to NPR. Giorgia Meloni, leader of Fratelli d’Italia, the Brothers of Italy party…will become Italy’s first female prime minister…(h)er party has roots in the neo-fascist movement that emerged out of the ruins of World War II…(t)he party flag includes a tricolor flame that was a symbol of fascism in the early 20th century. Meloni has refused to remove the flame from the party’s logo.”
Oh no! The Brothers of Italy party has a flame in its logo! But so does the New York State Conservative Party – who knew that having a flame in your logo was fascist?
Then there is this report from The Atlantic; Meloni…represent(s) continuity with Italy’s darkest episode: the interwar dictatorship of Benito Mussolini…Brothers of Italy, which Meloni has led since 2014, has an underlying and sinister familiarity. The party formed a decade ago to carry forth the spirit and legacy of the extreme right in Italy, which dates back to the Italian Social Movement (MSI), the party that formed in place of the National Fascist Party, which was banned after World War II. Now, just weeks before the 100th anniversary of the March on Rome—the October 1922 event that put Mussolini in power—Italy may have a former MSI activist for its prime minister and a government rooted in fascism.”
Meloni…Mussolini…a 1922 march…well, they all begin with an M, so there must be a connection…
But leave it to Politico to wrap every Democrat’s fears together into one package with this report; “U.S. conservatives are rallying behind Italy’s newly elected far-right prime minister — praise that highlights the Trumpification of GOP foreign policy doctrines…(e)mbracing Meloni…could be a risky play for Republicans. Her party, Brothers of Italy, espouses staunchly anti-immigration policies with a rallying cry against ‘globalists’…Meloni’s government is shaping up as Italy’s most far-right in the history of the republic formed after the demise of Benito Mussolini…(a)s Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ foreign policy opens rifts among U.S. conservatives over continued aid to Ukraine, with the former president signaling a desire to stop funding Kyiv, the GOP boost for Meloni runs the risk of emboldening the party’s MAGA wing against more establishment voices who want to continue aiding Ukraine. Some of Meloni’s coalition partners have allied with Vladimir Putin in the past and, more recently, refused to condemn his brutal invasion.”
Well, there you have it – Mussolini, to Trump, to Meloni – the pattern has been established for all to see.
Or has it?
A review of the website for the Brothers of Italy (FDI) tells a different story. Several Party members are also members of the European Parliament. For instance, Nicola Procaccini, “President of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with South Asian countries,” recently expressed his “apprehension (over) the dramatic news that continues to arrive from Pakistan following the devastating effects of the monsoon rains on the country. The latest official bulletin from Islamabad speaks of over a thousand victims and incalculable damage to structures and land. I express, on behalf of the European Parliament and on behalf of the delegation of the European Parliament, our full solidarity with the Pakistani government and people, and welcome the EU’s allocation of EUR 1.8 million in humanitarian aid to families affected by the floods.”
How very Far-Right of Procaccini – allocating funds to assist flood victims in Pakistan.
Well, what about this statement from FDI member Raffaele Stancanelli; “Today, as Vice-President, I represented the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament at the ceremony for the signing of the directive on the disclosure of information on income tax by certain companies and branches. I express my appreciation for the agreed text requiring multinational or autonomous companies, with a turnover of over 750 million euros, to disclose to the public information on income tax in each Member State, whether they are based in the EU or that they have it outside.”
Hmm…since when is requiring the disclosure of income tax information by multinational corporations a particularly Far-Right (or even moderately Conservative) position?
Then there is this statement from Raffaele Fitto the co-president of the FDI delegation to the European Parliament, “speaking during the Conference of Presidents in the exchange of views with the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltemberg (Fitto said) ‘Transatlantic relations and EU-NATO cooperation, in full compliance with the principles established in the treaties and those agreed by the European Council, are essential elements for successfully facing the geopolitical and common security challenges of the coming years… NATO represents the true guarantor of Euro-Atlantic security and in this perspective we must take all the necessary actions to strengthen our defense capabilities…I believe that it is essential to continue the support action in favor of Ukraine against the barbaric aggression of Moscow and to guarantee the free choice of other countries to join the Atlantic alliance, freeing them from Russian pressure and threats…'”
But wait – didn’t Politico claim that “some of Meloni’s coalition partners have allied with Vladimir Putin in the past and, more recently, refused to condemn his brutal invasion?” Here is the Co-President of the delegation to the EU condemning the “barbaric aggression of Moscow!” Could Politico be wrong?
Perhaps Fitto is an outlier, speaking on his own, without support from Meloni and the Italian government. Not according to this statement made by Fitto on May 3, 2022; “The sanctions adopted and the rediscovered cooperation with our traditional partners of the Atlantic Alliance represent a clear signal of European support for Ukraine and its people, but above all they testify to the commitment in defense of those values of freedom, independence and democracy that they are the foundation of our societies. Actions and behaviors with respect to which we Conservatives here in Europe, but also in Italy through Brothers of Italy and its president, Giorgia Meloni, have never lacked our serious and responsible support.”
Politico doesn’t identify “coalition partners” who are “aligned with Putin” and who “refuse to condemn” the invasion of Ukraine. Perhaps they exist. More likely, they are the outliers, extremists who exist on the edge of every party.
However, the American Press is not completely wrong – the Brothers of Italy are Conservatives. In April, “(t)he Brothers delegation of Italy…voted against the negotiating mandate at European Parliament on the issue of equal pay for men and women. We would have liked to amend a text that once again the left had full of references to gender ideology, with the risk of affecting the rights of women, reduced to mere screen of an ideology that is wreaking havoc in every sphere social, even in sports.” Further, in June, Fitto issued this statement; “We express disappointment at the decision to provide funding to the Palestinian Authority (PA) without applying any conditionality or responsibility for the PA’s problematic school curricula, which have consistently failed to meet Unesco’s standards of peace, tolerance, coexistence and non violence… the Commission’s strategy on combating anti-Semitism notes that EU external funds cannot be misallocated to activities that incite hatred and violence… and has strongly condemned hate speech, violence and anti-Semitism that continue to be present in school curricula of the (PA)… (t)he Commission can be assured of our continued support to try to reform and make Palestinian school curricula sound.”
There is also the Brother of Italy’s unabashed position against illegal immigration. At a Conference held in Rome in June, according to FDI member Alberto Balboni, “The Italian legislation is too permissive towards those who land illegally in Italy…people who are often not refugees or persecuted but arrive in Italy in search of fortune. The route of the illegal immigrants is also the one used by Islamic terrorists to strike Europe. The Italian government pretends not to see. The only solution remains the naval blockade to prevent departures and accommodate only those who really need it.”
Opposition to illegal immigration, anti-Semitism and gender politics, but support for NATO, Ukraine and transparency in business affairs. This is the true face of the Brothers of Italy – Center-Right, not Far Right.
And if Italy’s new Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni is the leader of the FDI, can her views be much dissimilar from those of the party she leads?
Judge John Wilson (ret.) served on the bench in NYC.
Photo: Vox España – CPAC 2022 con Hermann Tertsch y Victor Gonzalez., CC0,