Post-‘Post-Fascism’ and far right mainstreaming in Italy: Assessing continuity between the Italian Social Movement, National Alliance and Brothers of Italy

Has Brothers of Italy truly broken with Italy’s far-right past?

In a new issue of Political Science, Visiting Fellow Dr Marta Lorimer and Dr Matteo Cavallaro consider the potential mainstreaming of the far right in Europe through the case of Brothers of Italy, a radical right party. They evaluate ideological, organisational and symbolic continuity between Brothers of Italy, the Italian Social Movement and National Alliance through quantitative and qualitative analysis of party programmes. The study finds limited ideological continuity but persistent personnel and narrative links. Their findings indicate the Brothers of Italy may still contribute indirectly to the normalisation of extremism through the deliberate cultivation of symbolic links with its far-right predecessors.

Abstract
"The mainstreaming of the far right is a defining feature of European politics, raising concerns that incorporating far right parties into democratic politics could lead to the normalisation of undemocratic ideas. This paper explores this contention in the case of Brothers of Italy, a radical right party with extreme right roots. Conceptualising mainstreaming as the result of moderation or normalisation, it assesses whether Brothers of Italy can facilitate the normalisation of undemocratic ideas. The analysis evaluates ideological, organisational and symbolic continuity and change between Brothers of Italy and its predecessors: the extreme right Italian Social Movement and the conservative National Alliance. Drawing on the quantitative and qualitative analysis of party programmes, the study finds limited ideological continuity, suggesting restricted potential for normalising extremism. However, continuity in party personnel and narratives highlights ongoing organisational and symbolic links, indicating that Brothers of Italy may still indirectly contribute to the normalisation of extremism."