Roberto Vannacci, a former Italian general and now member of the European Parliament, has leveraged his notoriety to launch a new far-right party, National Future, which is rapidly gaining traction in Italian politics. Recent polls indicate that National Future is now polling just behind Forza Italia, the second-largest party in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's hard-right coalition, and ahead of Matteo Salvini's League, the coalition's third major component. This surge poses a significant dilemma for Meloni as she prepares for Italy's next general election, scheduled for next year.
From Military Discipline to Political Controversy
Vannacci's political ascent began in 2023 when he published a far-right tract titled The World Turned Upside Down, which was met with widespread condemnation for its bigoted content. The book attacked the "normalisation" of homosexuality and questioned the Italian identity of a prominent black volleyball star. The controversy propelled the book to bestseller status, but also led to Vannacci's suspension from the military for bringing the army into disrepute. Now, as a political figure, he argues that Meloni's coalition has not been extreme enough, advocating for a "true right" that is pro-Putin, anti-Ukraine, anti-EU, and committed to the expulsion of immigrants and their descendants to restore Italy's "cultural homogeneity."
Meloni's Electoral Dilemma
For Meloni, Vannacci's rise presents a strategic challenge. To defeat the combined left-wing forces in the upcoming election, she may need the support of National Future, a party that openly sympathizes with Italy's fascist past. However, aligning with Vannacci would undermine her efforts to present her own Brothers of Italy party, which retains a neo-fascist symbol in its logo, as part of the mainstream conservative tradition. This tension highlights the broader trend of far-right radicalization across Europe, as mainstream parties are dragged towards more extreme positions on immigration and other issues.
European Far-Right Radicalization
The rest of Europe should take note of Vannacci's rise, according to observers. At a time when Russian influence on the far right is already a concern, Vannacci has expressed openness to funding from Moscow and Beijing. The emergence of National Future confirms that the continent's far right is not only pushing mainstream politics rightward but also radicalizing itself. Similar dynamics are visible in other countries: in the UK, Rupert Lowe's Restore Britain party is exerting a rightward pull on Reform UK; in Poland, the nationalist Law and Justice party is shifting further right to compete with newer far-right parties; and in Germany, the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is on the brink of a historic breakthrough in eastern state elections and leads in national polls.
Ceuta Crisis and Remigration Calls
The ominous political consequences of this radicalization were evident last week during the crisis in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, where leaders overreacted to an incursion by irregular migrants. Meloni, with an eye on her right flank, was at the forefront of divisive calls for action against Spain. Vannacci used the incident to amplify his calls for a Europe-wide "remigration" strategy, further polarizing the debate.
Mainstream Respectability at Stake
Vannacci's repugnant politics are beyond the pale, and in Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz continues to rule out any national alliance with the AfD. Were Meloni to countenance any form of accommodation with Italy's rogue general, it would demolish her fragile claims to mainstream respectability. The situation underscores the challenge that far-right radicalization poses to democratic norms and the stability of European politics.
