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Italian Right Gains Ground with Election Victories
by
findingDulcinea Staff
The return of Silvio Berlusconi and the election of Rome’s first far-right mayor since World War II signal a possible national shift to the right.
30-Second Summary
Rome’s mayoral election, won by Gianni Alemanno with 53 percent of the vote, marks the city’s first shift away from leftist ideology in 15 years.
The election results come in the wake of widespread protest against crime committed by immigrants, specifically those from Romania and Bulgaria.
According to government statistics touted by Alemanno, these groups make an increasing percentage of the nation’s criminal and prison populations.
Rome’s general resistance to these groups was galvanized following the murder of Giovanna Reggiani, a housewife who was killed on a footpath near an immigrant camp late last year.
The immediate response saw one of Rome’s most popular papers call for an “end to tolerance.”
Promising tougher measures to deal with such crimes, and with the immigrant population as a whole, Alemanno campaigned on a platform of “law and order,” declaring that as a part of his sixteen-part “Pact for Rome,” he would force the removal of 20,000 immigrants from Rome, and order the destruction of camps surrounding the city.
Alemanno’s victory also serves as another vote of confidence for Berlusconi, who actively campaigned on the new mayor’s behalf.
This collaboration also spotlights the new working relationship Berlusconi has developed with groups on the far right, many of whom worked with his newly formed People of Freedom party to help secure his national victory.
The election results come in the wake of widespread protest against crime committed by immigrants, specifically those from Romania and Bulgaria.
According to government statistics touted by Alemanno, these groups make an increasing percentage of the nation’s criminal and prison populations.
Rome’s general resistance to these groups was galvanized following the murder of Giovanna Reggiani, a housewife who was killed on a footpath near an immigrant camp late last year.
The immediate response saw one of Rome’s most popular papers call for an “end to tolerance.”
Promising tougher measures to deal with such crimes, and with the immigrant population as a whole, Alemanno campaigned on a platform of “law and order,” declaring that as a part of his sixteen-part “Pact for Rome,” he would force the removal of 20,000 immigrants from Rome, and order the destruction of camps surrounding the city.
Alemanno’s victory also serves as another vote of confidence for Berlusconi, who actively campaigned on the new mayor’s behalf.
This collaboration also spotlights the new working relationship Berlusconi has developed with groups on the far right, many of whom worked with his newly formed People of Freedom party to help secure his national victory.
Headline Links: Election results suggest shift to political right
Gianni Alemanno, once Silvio Berlusconi’s agriculture minister, won Rome’s tightly contested mayoral race. Signaling the city’s first shift to the right in nearly 15 years, the election also marks Rome’s first far-right mayor since World War II. Alemanno campaigned on a law and order platform in response to the influx of immigrants from Romania and Bulgaria.
Source: The Independent
On both the national and civic levels, this year’s elections in Italy have focused strongly on immigration and crime, with critics pointing to government statistics to support drastic new measures. Many see the increase in immigrants, especially from eastern European countries, as to blame for what they see as a spike in violent crime.
Source: The International Herald Tribune
Background: Berlusconi, Giovanna Reggiani
Silvio Berlusconi won national elections in early April with his newly created People of Freedom party securing majorities in both houses of parliament. This will be Berlusconi’s third term as premier, after stints in the late 1990s and 2000, the latter of which saw him voted out amid allegations of corruption and a weakened economy.
Source: findingDulcinea
The murder of Rome citizen Giovanna Reggiani last year created a national outcry for tougher measures for dealing with immigrant populations and foreign criminals. The 47-year-old woman was walking home near a camp populated by mostly immigrants when she was attacked and left for dead. The reaction allowed the national government to quickly pass a new measure allowing Italy to expel any person it deemed a danger to society, included European Union members.
Source: Der Spiegel
Berlusconi’s win was aided by his new coalition, which includes representatives of the nationalist group the Northern League, including leader Umberto Bossi. Critics worry that Berlusconi’s reliance on Bossi’s support could mean a further move toward far-right policies in Italy. Bossi’s decision to walk out on a past partnership with Berlusconi resulted in a loss of power in the mid-1990s.
Source: The Telegraph
Reactions: Two-party system in Italy
Berlusconi’s win not only signals a national shift right, but also a move towards a two-party system similar to that of the United States. Criticizing the multiple party system, which forced his predecessor to try to keep a delicate 11-party coalition together, Berlusconi has promised that his new People of Freedom party will be able to push reform through at a quicker pace than ever before.
Source: The Australian
Opinion & Analysis: Rightward migrations?
Amir Taheri of the New York Post suggested that Italy’s move to the right is representative of a larger, continent-wide movement in Europe, with France and Italy leading the way.
Source: The New York Post
Berlusconi’s victory earlier this month signaled a wider move to the right for Italy, erasing all traces of the country’s Communist and Green parties for the first time in 50 years.
Source: The Economist
Key Players: Gianni Alemanno
Gianni Alemanno emerged from the National Alliance political party, which was recently absorbed into Berlusconi’s new People of Freedom party, to win the mayoral office. He acted as agriculture minister under Berlusconi and has a deep connection to past national fascist movements.
Source: ANSA
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