While conservatives in the US are attracting a new generation of supporters, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has vowed to make right-wing politics fashionable and appealing to young voters, and young people across Italy are turning to nationalism and demanding limits on migration, writes Politico.
The Italian prime minister’s Fratelli d’Italia party gathered around 10,000 members of its youth organization in mid-September to bid farewell to summer in an event that combined political campaigning and festival. Amid DJs, inflatable obstacle courses and table tennis tournaments, a host of influential Eurosceptics, government ministers and TikTok celebrities called for a stand against threats to free speech and mocked the “violent” intolerance of the left.
True, the fun was dampened by the murder of Charlie Kirk, a US conservative influencer, in early September. Young activists in Meloni’s party knew Kirk from social media, and his death has caused some anxiety among members of the movement. One of the group’s leaders, 31-year-old Sicilian businessman Antonio Toscano, said that right-wing activists often face aggressive attitudes and are called fascists.
Meloni also mentioned Kirk in her speech, drawing parallels with her party. She said that in the eyes of the left, Kirk was dangerous and needed to be stopped because
the influencer was free, brave and capable.
The motive for Kirk’s murder is still unknown, but the idea that the killer was an anti-fascist has caused waves in US political discourse. The suspect is charged with aggravated murder, which means he faces the death penalty if convicted.
The young people ate ice cream and drank beer in the hot Italian sun. Posters around the coffee bar depicted the heroes of the new generation. For a generation that graduated from school during the pandemic and has grown up in the online era, the right-wing movement offers an antidote to the isolation of the digital age – real-world friendships, goals and meaning. Fabio Roscani, the head of the youth wing and a member of parliament, said young people are drawn to the opportunity to be part of a community. While young people are often seen as aloof, this generation is enthusiastic about coming together for a common cause. Roscani said that in an era where everything is happening online,
political activism is a healthy dose of reality.
One participant suggested that the movement could become a lifelong commitment. In a youth organization, you can build lasting friendships that go beyond political activity.
During the four-day event, young people essentially followed in the footsteps of Meloni – she also once organized a similar event. The Italian Prime Minister joined the right-wing youth organization at the age of 15, and she often described her teenage activities as rebellion against teachers and the prevailing left-wing sentiment in the neighborhood where she grew up. Now that her party is in power, being on the right has become easier. Alfonso Pepe, a 29-year-old lawyer who joined the movement at the age of 15, said that being right-wing is much easier now – in the past, society marginalized them.
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