Another “harakiri during the G7”, to quote the words that the President of the Senate Ignazio La Russa had used during the brawl in the Chamber during the discussion on autonomy. This time the majority, and above all FdI, is thrilled by a Fanpage investigation into National Youth, the youth movement of Giorgia Meloni’s party, with images of Roman greetings, of boys and girls praising the Duce and singing fascist chants. The day after the broadcast on La 7 in Piazza Pulita, Pd, M5s and the Green-Left Alliance presented questions to the government, asking it to report to Parliament: “Only incomprehensible silences from Giorgia Meloni and the exponents of her party”, it is ‘accusation.
For the investigation, Fanpage used a journalist who had infiltrated National Youth, documenting, also in the historic FdI headquarters in Colle Oppio, several episodes that the opposition defined as an apology for fascism. For Elly Schlein, the prime minister is aware of the “fascistry” that exists in her party, “otherwise – said the PD secretary – she would be the most distracted leader in history. There is a president of the Senate with a bust of the Duce in his home and an undersecretary who quotes Mussolini”.
There is also the case of the former spokesperson of the minister Francesco Lollobrigida, Paolo Signorelli, with the anti-Semitic phrases in the chat he had with Fabrizio Piscitelli, known as Diabolik, the leader of the Lazio ultras killed in August 2019. “The right can be varnished – said Schlein – but it cannot hide anti-Semitism and racism.” An “organizational” aspect also emerges from the Fanpage investigation on which the opposition has asked for clarity: “At a certain point – underlined the M5s deputy Andrea Quartini – the leader of National Youth Flaminia Pace reveals how the offers for Casa Italia will be collected , the club that she herself founded: ‘From next year we will have another type of income that will come from the civil service, the money comes from the State'”.
Given that it is however informally denied in Fratelli d’Italia circles who have nevertheless received the order of silence. No official position taken, therefore. Even if in the same circles there is no hiding Giorgia Meloni’s irritation at a targeted initiative against the Brothers of Italy – this is the reasoning – precisely when the summit of the 7 big ones chaired by Italy is taking place . The Fanpage investigation is considered an attack artfully prepared and aired during the days of the G7, with low blows and stratagems, like that of the infiltrator. “Rubbish journalism – as defined by the former member of parliament and editorial director of Secolo d’Italia, Italo Bocchino – which cuts five minutes out of a hundred hours of footage looking through the keyhole. National youth is a community of committed and dedicated passionate militants to politics and which makes an important contribution to democracy”.
The funding controversy? “It’s all about small talk.” Answers that do not convince the opposition. For Si’s secretary Nicola Fratoianni “the youth movement of the Prime Minister’s party feeds on fascist and Nazi ideological rubbish, which praises the Duce and shouts ‘Sieg Heil!'”.
And Angelo Bonelli, co-spokesman of the Greens: “We are faced with a blatant display of fascist and Nazi ideologies.” While waiting for the resumption of parliamentary work, with the foreseeable tensions over the reforms and the tailwinds of the controversy over the Fanpage investigation, Schlein gathered the team of Pd MEPs at the Nazarene. “The extraordinary result of the European elections gives us a decisive role also in the next European balance”, he said, announcing that he will “personally manage the negotiations”.
Then the internal look. With a warning to FdI: “We are coming”. And a boost to the party: “We must continue like this, we are the cornerstone of building the alternative to the right, we have not put vetoes and we do not accept any.” The message is also for the center forces. The first test will be Tuesday, when Pd, M5s, Avs and Più Europa will take to the streets in Rome against the reforms. The invitation is also open to Iv and Calenda. For now they have not responded.
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