Fratelli D’Italia- Party like it’s 1922? [BLOG POST 5]

By Jacob Braun

Giorgia Meloni and the center-right coalition at the Quirinal Palace, Quirinale, via WikiMedia Commons 

On October 22, 2022, Giorgia Meloni, leader of the far-right Fratelli D’Italia party, became Prime Minister of the Italian Republic. Based on a platform of anti-establishment rhetoric and populist nativism, Meloni’s coalition would take 44% of the vote— a resounding majority compared to her leftist opponents. As of yet, it is too early to determine Italy’s future under the new PM, but it will certainly be a blast to the past. As the phase of full populist transition ends, the battle for a new Italian identity begins.

FdI ORIGINS

Fratelli D’Italia (or Brothers of Italy) emerged primarily from two neo-fascist Italian political parties: the Movimento Sociale Italiano and the Alleanza Nazionale. The party itself is relatively new having been founded in 2012, touted by Meloni as a “new party for old tradition. Built on the populist pillars of sovereignty, national unity and traditional values, the Fratelli D’Italia aimed to capture voters dissatisfied with the status quo of Italian politics (especially after Covid-19 and a sustained migrant crisis). Though the Fratelli D’Italia have roots in Italy’s fascist past, that did not seem to hinder their victory.

BRINGING FASCISM TO THE MAINSTREAM

The Fratelli D’Italia seem to be on a fine line of being considered fascist, or just part of the far-right wing. The party has gone through a significant amount of rebranding to make ties to its past more palatable, but it still attracts many who would hope to see a Mussolini-like restoration. Heck, the party’s slogan is still “God, family, fatherland,” which evokes the fascist past. Now in the mainstream of Italian politics, the Fratelli D’Italia have seemingly swung even further right— following the likes of Viktor Orban with an emphasis being placed on having children and making families, as well as an ardently anti-immigrant stance. 

Giorgia Meloni at CPAC 2022, VOX Spain, via WikiMedia Commons Public Domain 

WHAT COULD THIS MEAN?

As we come to the end of the transition period in this blog, a new phase of creation is evidently beginning in Italian politics. In my opinion, I believe the new government will focus on forging a new “Italian identity” within Europe— which could foreseeably have consequences which affect the EU or even NATO. As of yet, I think it’s too early to tell concretely what might happen. Until next time, ciao!