Know Your Enemy

Giorgia Meloni's Neo-Fascism (w/ David Broder)

Added 2022-10-05 23:15:16 +0000 UTC

Sam is joined by David Broder — the Europe editor of Jacobin Magazine and author of First They Took Rome: How the Populist Right Conquered Italy and the forthcoming book, Mussolini's Grandchildren: Fascism in Contemporary Italy — to discuss the recent victory of Giorgia Meloni in Italian general elections. Meloni's Brothers for Italy party descends directly from the neo-fascist parties of post-war Italy.

We discuss the ways in which her victory is continuous and discontinuous with the recent history of right-wing populism in Italy — from Silvio Berlusconi to Matteo Salvini. And David explains how Meloni has incorporated fascist nostalgia and historical revision into a 21st century, identitarian nationalism, which draws heavily on conservative economics, anti-feminist and anti-LGBTQ politics, and "great replacement" nativist conspiracy.

Further reading:

David Broder, "Italy’s drift to the far right began long before the rise of Giorgia Meloni," Guardian, Sept. 2022.

Natasha Lennard, "It's a Girl (Fascist!)," The Intercept, Sept. 2022.

Adam Tooze, "Who is going to vote for Italy's right-wing coalition?," Chartbook, Sept 2022.