Italy has always had barmpot politics. We are not talking here of ‘conservative with a small C’ but like some other areas of Europe, a worrying trend towards far-right politics, akin to back in the days of Mussolini (who did not make the trains run on time, that was a myth).
In fact, he and his wife were so unpopular, they met a grisly end, hung upside down for locals to throw things at their bodies for days after their deaths. And what happens here affects us all, re policies say for climate change (the latest leader is rolling back on previous laws to protect our planet and animals).
Like Trump, the previous right-wing Prime Minister controlled most of the media, telling earthquake survivors they should look at sleeping in emergency tents as a ‘weekend of camping’.
Queen Elizabeth II once told him off at a summit, for shouting across to the US President. She is said to have thrown her hands in the air and asked ‘Why does he have to shout?’
It’s strange given how friendly and warm Italians are, that it seems to attract right-wing leaders. The latest is Georgia Meloni, a beautiful young woman who nevertheless has scary politics, who has already persuaded Brussels to scrap bans on concerning pesticides and to scale back environmental regulations.
Vatican City is of course home to the Pope. Although there’s nothing nicer than visiting evening Vespers at a local monastery, the Church has of course been rocked in recent years by sexual abuse scandals.
What’s not so well known is that the seat of Jesus Christ (and Francis of Assisi – the Catholic patron saint of animals) rents out a nearby building for $30,000 Euros a month to McDonald’s (which has huge animal welfare and environmental issues). And it wonders why people are leaving in droves?
From Post-War Stability to Modern Discontent
After 1945, the Christian Democrats dominated politics for almost half a century. Coalition governments were common, but a broad centrist line held. This collapsed in the early 1990s with sweeping corruption trials, known as Tangentopoli. Trust broke, party systems shifted, and the old order faded.
Silvio Berlusconi stepped into that vacuum. He reshaped politics with media power (he was kind of like Italy’s version of Trump), bold messaging, and a focus on security and taxes. His alliances gave a platform to Lega, once a regional party with a northern focus, and helped normalise harder lines on immigration and identity.
When the 2008 financial crisis hit, wages stalled, youth unemployment rose, and the state looked weak. The social contract felt brittle.
These shocks fed a mood of grievance. Public patience thinned as migration flows increased in the 2010s. Newer parties sharpened the message. Brothers of Italy (the party that Georgia Meloni now leads) grew from the right, while the Five Star Movement tapped into anti-establishment anger. The centre could not absorb the pressure, so the debate swung to the edges.
Key Milestones in Right-Wing Ascendancy
- The 2013 election fractured the party landscape. Five Star surged, the old centre faltered, and right-wing parties found fresh momentum.
- In 2018, a coalition between Five Star and Lega took office. It hardened rhetoric on borders and Europe, and tested new spending plans that drew EU scrutiny.
- The pandemic years did not ease the pressure. By 2022, Giorgia Meloni and her Brothers of Italy led a right-wing coalition to victory. It was a decisive win that turned long-term trends into government power.
- Regional elections since 2022, including in Lazio and Lombardy, kept that momentum. European elections in 2024 confirmed the coalition’s base was holding.
- Voter turnout has dipped compared with past decades, a sign of fatigue and distrust. Polls through 2025 still show the governing bloc in front, though with a more watchful public.
The line is clear. From post-war stability to a fragmented present, each crisis left deeper marks, and right-wing parties learned to speak to those scars.
Why Current Policies are Raising Alarms
Italy’s current government frames its agenda as control, identity, and sovereignty. Supporters see order after drift. Critics see risks to rights, the economy, and relations with Europe. The clearest shifts involve immigration, social policy, and the balance between national law and EU norms.
Recent budgets have triggered debate in Brussels, where rules on debt and deficits are tight. Rome defends spending plans as needed for growth and support to families. The EU has pushed for discipline. Friction has risen during 2024 and into 2025, as deficit targets meet political promises. This shapes credit ratings, bond costs, and the pace of reforms tied to EU recovery funds.
The worry is not one law, but the pattern. Power concentrates in the executive, checks feel softer, and debate narrows. Italy is not leaving the EU, yet it tests how far a member can push against shared standards.
Italy’s rightward turn did not come overnight. It grew from long years of scandal, crisis, and stalled reforms. Recent victories gave the right the power to act, and it has moved fast on borders, budgets, and social policy. Supporters see order and pride. Critics see rights at risk and friction with Europe.
The outcome is still open. Democratic checks exist, and voters remain watchful. The best guard against drift is informed debate. Read across sources, ask hard questions, and support balanced, lawful policy. If you care about Italy’s future, stay engaged, vote when you can, and speak up. The next chapter will be written in public, and participation is the strongest tool citizens have.
The Italian government is now set to bring back nuclear power, 35 years after Italy abandoned it (like Austria and New Zealand, Italy has been nuclear-free on safety grounds for decades). She has also declared ‘war on wild boats’ with relaxed hunting (but them entering into Rome is more due to litter left, due to over-tourism).
Avanti, the Italian Greens!
On a positive note, The Greens in Italy have many politicians at national and local level, headed up by co-leaders Fiorella Zabatta and Angelo Bonelli.
