The big names of the Italian far right marched on stage, Piazza del Popolo in Rome, Thursday, September 22. The “Cavaliere” Sylvio Berlusconi, no longer very dashing at almost 86 years old. Matteo Salvini, the strong man of the Lega, yesterday leader of the far right. And the one who took his place, and made him outdated, the Meloni as it is called in Italy. Giorgia Meloni, leader of Fratelli d’Italia, an ultra-conservative, identity and nationalist formation, gave its last meeting before the Italian legislative elections which take place on Sunday. A crucial election in this founding member country of the European Union and third economy in the euro zone.
>> Giorgia Meloni, the far-right candidate, is the symbol of the “disarray” of Italians, analyzes a researcher
The alliance dominated by the far right is the favorite with 25% of the voting intentions. So will Italy bring to power an heiress of fascism? The child of Garbatella, a long popular district of Rome, was formed in the ranks of the Italian Social Movement (MSI) post-fascist, but, on stage Thursday evening, not a word comes to recall this filiation.
A demonized far-right discourse
Giorgia Meloni talks about the economy, Italy’s place in Europe and in the world. She puts the mute on her personal trinity: God, country and family. The international press is there. It’s about reassurance. Moreover, to hear it is the left that should worry: “When democracy arrived, the left lost its mind. It revealed itself for what it is, an extremist, enraged, violent left, which is terrified of losing its system of power.”
End of campaign with reversed front of a demonized extreme right. “Throughout the campaign, we were told we were scared, but the only ones who are scared are them”underlines Giorgia Meloni at the podium.
“They are not afraid of those who dream of a proud Italy, who want to become proud again of their nation, of their people, of their flag”
Giorgia Meloni, President of Fratelli d’Italiaat a meeting in Rome
The fundamentals are left to Matteo Salvini, foil in spite of himself: “The left proposes to repopulate our villages by bringing in more and more migrants. I say no. Let’s repopulate them by allowing our boys to have more sons and by helping mothers to become mothers.” In case it wasn’t clear, the old Vice-President of the Italian Council of Ministers specifies: “I say mum and dad, because mum’s name is mum and not parent 1, parent 2 or parent 32…”
But in the crowd we are not mistaken and we know why we support “la Meloni”: “Anything that’s not Italian, come on, broom, out of the country!” exclaims a far-right activist. We need roots. In Italy, they are being taken away from us and it is the fault of those who govern us! Giorgia Meloni has not governed in recent years. The clearance bonus will be for her on Sunday.
The right and the far right at a meeting in Rome: report by Louise Bodet