Italian General Founds New Far-Right Party, Threatening Meloni

Roberto Vannacci, a 57-year-old former paratrooper, officially announced the founding of a new far-right party, 'Futuro Nazionale', on Sunday. The party positions itself as a direct challenge to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's conservative government, aiming to attract disaffected voters from the right. Vannacci, who previously represented Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini's 'League' party, left it four months ago.

Currently, Vannacci's movement polls at around 5% support, closing in on the League and potentially undermining Meloni's chances of returning to power in next year's national elections. However, any alliance with Vannacci could pose risks for Meloni, as his platform is characterized by anti-European, pro-Russian stances and close ties with far-right parties such as Germany's Alternative for Germany.

Vannacci advocates for strict immigration policies, promising to reduce the number of foreigners in Italy from the current estimated 12% to about 4% of the total population. He stated that his program is about 'reimmigration', not immigration.

At the founding congress, Vannacci also outlined plans to review Italy's membership in the eurozone, abandon the EU's Green Deal, and lift the ban on nuclear energy. He promised zero tolerance for criminals and the construction of new prisons, as well as support for family-friendly measures such as tax cuts for families with children.

Vannacci accused Meloni of failing to keep many of her electoral promises but acknowledged that his own program might change depending on circumstances.

In 2024, Vannacci received a disciplinary sanction for a book titled 'The World Upside Down', which contained homophobic, racist, and sexist remarks about LGBT people, migrants, and feminists. He was suspended from duty for 11 months.