Italian politics is a deep ocean of secrets. And above all, an enormous forest of parties.

Would you like to know about them? Here are some parties (some existing, some no longer) that you have probably never heard of. Until now.

A thread 🧵 If you like this thread, remember to share it!

And if you want to read more, hit the highlights! We've written quite a few!

In these two months we have met many candidates and collected their craziest moments.

How did they fare in the elections? Here's a recap thread! 👇 The controversial General Roberto Vannacci, a candidate in all constituencies, collected an impressive 530,791 votes nationwide.

https://x.com/CrazyItalianPol/status/1777405649367818508

After the post about Alessandra Mussolini, there was a lot of interest (especially from non-Italians) in the former dictator's family. So here is a summary. 

Children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Benito Mussolini.

A thread 🧵 We talk about the best known and most relevant today, and obviously to satisfy the interest of many users. No diatribes, please.

(below: photo that Mussolini had censored because he was drenched by a sprinkler at the Foro Italico)

All the results of the European elections in Italy from 1979 to the present day, a useful recap to understand the evolution of the vote in our country.

1979

Most voted party: Christian Democracy.

1984

Most voted party: Italian Communist Party.

The year 2023 is drawing to a close, and again this year Italian politics has not disappointed us with its crazy moments.

Twelve months, twelve crazy moments.

A thread 🧵 January.

During the Davos Forum, journalist of TG5 Veronica Gervaso interviews the president of Confindustria Carlo Bonomi, which happens to be her husband.

Video killed the radio star... but Italian politics killed the color TV!

How a political short-sightedness delayed technological progress and ruined many Italian companies.

A thread 🧵 Today's state television network, RAI, was founded in 1944 from the ashes of EIAR, the radio broadcasting organisation founded during fascism.

Well before Paul McCartney, another celebrity was said to have died and been replaced by another person.

None other than the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel II.

A thread 🧵 on an old conspiracy theory that lives on today.
We are in Italy, of course. But a different Italy from that of today, still divided into several kingdoms.

This was the situation in the aftermath of the Conservative Order of 1815.

That crazy time when the Italian government financed a Hollywood-style blockbuster... and failed badly.

"Barbarossa", the Italian "Braveheart" you've probably never heard of - featuring Rutger Hauer!

A thread 🧵 First, let's go back a few centuries. On 7 April 1167, at the Abbey of Pontida, 26 cities (later 30) united in the Lombard League to counter the attempts by the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman emperors to assert influence over the Kingdom of Italy as a part of the Holy Roman Empire.

Summer is a time for gossip, and the 'scandal' that occurred in Italy in the hot summer of 1950 got the whole country gossiping.

Protagonists: a future President of the Republic and an 'obscene' dress.

This is the 'sundress scandal'. A thread. 🧵 July 20th, 1950. We are in Rome, at the restaurant 'Da Chiarina', a trendy place frequented by MPs, aristocrats and actors.

The film that Benito Mussolini erased from existence - and that you will never see.

The story of 'Ragazzo' ('Boy'), the only film that the fascist regime censored completely. And why cinephiles all over the world will never have the chance to see it.

A thread 🧵 In Italy, a film censorship commission has existed since 1913. This, of course, was strengthened under the fascist regime.

Mussolini had realised the potential of cinema for the propaganda. Not without reason, one of his mottos was 'Cinematography is the strongest weapon'.