Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has publicly condemned fascist rhetoric and actions within her Brothers of Italy (FdI) party after reports surfaced showing members of the party’s youth wing engaging in fascist salutes and making racist and antisemitic remarks.
In a letter to party members, Meloni expressed her deep disappointment and anger, stating unequivocally, “There is no room [in FdI] for racist or antisemitic positions, in the same way as there is no room for nostalgia for the totalitarian systems of the 20th Century, or for any other display of foolish folklore.”
The controversy erupted following investigative reports by the news outlet Fanpage, which published video evidence of FdI’s National Youth wing (Gioventù Nazionale – GN) members chanting slogans such as “For a cleaner world, come back, Uncle Benito [Mussolini]” and “Sieg Heil!” Additionally, further investigations revealed GN members making derogatory remarks about disabled individuals and engaging in racist and antisemitic discourse.
These revelations were the result of undercover journalism, with reporters infiltrating the GN group by posing as new members. The exposés have led to the resignation of several prominent GN members, including Elisa Segnini, who was recorded declaring, “I have never stopped being a racist or a fascist.” Another local leader, Flaminia Pace, also resigned after being caught mocking a Jewish FdI senator, Ester Mieli.
Meloni addressed the issue, asserting her commitment to rooting out such ideologies from her party. She emphasized that individuals who do not align with the party’s values and who might inadvertently serve as tools for their adversaries cannot be part of Brothers of Italy.
She also questioned the methods used by Fanpage, criticizing the outlet for employing what she described as “methods worthy of an [authoritarian] regime.” However, she reaffirmed that any nostalgic sentiments towards fascism or racist attitudes are incompatible with the values of her party.
The President of the Senate, Ignazio La Russa, echoed this condemnation, stating that the language and behavior exhibited by the GN members were “against the values of our party” and denounced “all forms of racism and antisemitism.”
Meloni’s comments come against a backdrop of repeated controversies involving FdI and its alleged ties to Italy’s fascist past. Since becoming the leader of a right-wing coalition and Italy’s prime minister in 2022, Meloni has faced scrutiny over her party’s connections to historic fascism. The recent scandal is reminiscent of a previous incident in June, when the spokesperson for Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida resigned after being implicated in racist and antisemitic communications.
In response to the latest scandal, opposition senator Simona Malpezzi of the center-left Democratic Party (PD) suggested that Meloni should have commended Fanpage for bringing the issue to light and should distance herself from the implicated members who were previously seen as rising stars within the party.
As Meloni navigates the fallout from this scandal, her firm stance against fascist nostalgia within her party reflects an ongoing challenge to balance modern political ambitions with the weight of Italy’s historical context. The prime minister’s reaction aims to reaffirm her commitment to a future unencumbered by the ideologies of the past, though the path forward remains fraught with internal and external scrutiny.
