Thread by @docrussjackson

#THREAD

So Giorgia Meloni is set to become Italy’s first female PM.

Very concerningly, she leads a party that is indisputably further to the right than any mainstream political movement Italy has seen since the days of its former fascist leader, Benito Mussolini.

Despite using inflammatory rhetoric & holding illiberal views, Meloni is not a fascist - her ideology aligns with many in the UK Tory Party. But she will have to form a government with her 'firebrand' coalition partners Matteo Salvini & Silvio Berlusconi.

thelocal.it/20180302/italy…

Like so many right-wing politicians, journalists, presenters, pundits & activists, Meloni is against abortion rights, migration, same sex marriage & parenting, & predictably claims "traditional values" & "ways of life" are "under attack" because of globalization & liberal ideals.

Using xenophobic populist nationalist rhetoric, & promoting the 'Great Replacement' conspiracy theory, Meloni also opposes multiculturalism, & has praised Viktor Orban, Benito Mussolini, & neofascist Nazi collaborator Giorgio Almirante.

https://twitter.com/docrussjackson/status/1540672057524031488?s=20&t=xIsIq3MaJt8ckWAmseBFXw

Again predictably, one of her biggest fans is ideological extremist, Steve Bannon, the man who contributed significantly to Trump's political ideology, met with & gave advice to Nigel Farage & Jacob Rees-Mogg, & is credited with giving birth to the American alt-right movement.

Crises always create opportunities for parties in opposition, whatever their political ideology. But the 'politics of fear' in the context of crisis does tend to lend itself more readily to right-wing populists.

As Professor Ruth Wodak observes:

https://twitter.com/docrussjackson/status/1552577163542528000?s=20&t=xIsIq3MaJt8ckWAmseBFXw

“In the case of Meloni & her party, she was able to criticize both the establishment figure of Mario Draghi, an unelected technocrat installed as Prime Minister, & the populists that had propped up his coalition government,” says Marianna Griffini, King’s College London.

Italy “suffered as a country very badly in the pandemic... Lots of people died, lots of businesses shut down. We had a difficult time getting support from the rest of the EU. Ever since, the establishment & Govts of both Conte & Draghi have been easy targets to throw rocks at.”

Conservative voters have a greater need for certainty & stability. They seem psychologically tuned to see change as a threat, so it’s far easier to unite right-wingers against changes or perceived threats eg the energy crisis, inflation, or immigrants.

https://twitter.com/docrussjackson/status/1391038555850481671?s=20&t=xIsIq3MaJt8ckWAmseBFXw

“Rising food & fuel prices, falling trust in democratic institutions, growing inequality, declining class mobility, & concerns over migration have created a sense of desperation that unscrupulous leaders can easily exploit” - Nic Cheeseman, professor of democracy, Birmingham Uni.

The current combination of multiple crises is a “perfect storm for liberal democracy - & it will take far greater efforts from those who believe in inclusion, responsible government & human rights to weather it.”- Nic Cheeseman, professor of democracy, Birmingham University.

“The paradox of populism is that it often identifies real problems but seeks to replace them with something worse,” says Federico Finchelstein, author of “From Fascism to Populism in History.”

Britain is certainly not immune from this phenomenon.

https://twitter.com/docrussjackson/status/1564622427828752395?s=20&t=xIsIq3MaJt8ckWAmseBFXw

(Given) “the failures of political elites & institutions, they seek to replace (them) with powerful, cult-like leadership. Trump was a natural at it & he encouraged others like Erdogan, Bolsonaro & even Orban to go even further,” Finchelstein adds.

In times of crisis, those claiming to have easy solutions can make everything a lot worse for their citizens. And if things do get worse, more crises are inevitable, which means more fear is inevitable, along with further opportunities for the populists.

https://twitter.com/docrussjackson/status/1574008496160481281?s=20&t=xIsIq3MaJt8ckWAmseBFXw

Despite Europe's twentieth-century history, another big problem is that hundreds of millions of voters in the UK, US, & across Europe, whether by accident or by design, are profoundly ignorant about fascist history & the main elements of fascist ideology.

https://twitter.com/docrussjackson/status/1530506330452246529?s=20&t=xIsIq3MaJt8ckWAmseBFXw

The rise of extreme populists exploiting the fears of citizens is extremely concerning. Anyone following British & European politics knows that hundreds of such people are waiting in the wings, emboldened & encouraged each time one of their own takes on the establishment & wins.

Many politicians & their advisors are highly skilled in the dark arts of 'divide & rule', & some Govts are now inseparable from the global network of opaquely funded & influential free-market 'think tanks' (lobbyists, representing powerful interests):

https://twitter.com/docrussjackson/status/1459100285666795540?s=20&t=XqkHjBZusc8dKKWQ976bAw

The above thread is adapted from this article, & supplemented by some of my previous writing on far-right populism & (neo)fascism.

These are dark days. Democracy is once again on the ropes.

Become active, fight, #joinaunion, & resist however you can. 🙏

edition.cnn.com/2022/09/24/eur…