Italy's far-right turn

Italy is poised to get its first woman Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni. More importantly, the country as well as western Europe will have their first far-right majority government since 1945, when Italy’s fascist supremo Mussolini was captured and executed by communist partisans months before the end of World War II. Meloni’s party, the Brothers of Italy, has emerged as the dominant player in the right-wing coalition that also includes former Deputy PM Matteo Salvini’s League and ex-PM Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia.

Will Meloni’s triumph pull Italy out of the economic quagmire or push it back to the dark days of fascism? She had once said in a TV interview that Mussolini was a ‘good politician’ and ‘all that he did, he did for Italy.’ Mussolini’s Italy was in league with fellow Axis powers Germany and Japan; this unholy alliance was responsible for foisting World War II upon humankind. Meloni’s admiration for Mussolini is tantamount to reluctance to condemn his complicity in the excesses committed by the Axis nations. Such an attitude won’t endear her to western powers such as the US, the UK and France, which were among the Allies that together fought and won WWII. How she deals with some of her party’s leaders and supporters who have made no bones about their fascist leanings will also be closely watched.

The change of guard in Rome comes at a time when democracy is under threat worldwide. In this regard, Italy has been among the worst performers in the European Union in recent years. According to the Freedom in the World 2022 report, ‘concerns about the rights of migrants persist, and regional inequalities are substantial.’ Things might worsen for ethnic and religious minorities, immigrants and all individuals who dare to speak truth to power in Italy. The twin challenges of deep-rooted corruption and organised crime will test Meloni’s mettle. Her populist government’s foreign policy will have a bearing on international geopolitics, especially amid the protracted Russia-Ukraine war. Europe and the rest of the world need to be wary of the rise of another ‘powerful’ leader in the global firmament.