Brothers of ItalyIdentity and Pragmatism in the Italian Radical Right

Explains how Brothers of Italy rose from the political margins to become Italy’s leading governing party

• Uses the concept of the “rooted newcomer” to capture the party’s combination of deep historical roots and strategic adaptation
• Draws on extensive original evidence concerning leadership, organisation, political elites, electoral geography, ideology and voters
• Assesses Giorgia Meloni’s record in government and its implications for Italian democracy and the European radical right

How did Brothers of Italy develop from a marginal post-fascist successor into Italy’s dominant political force? This comprehensive study explains the party’s rise through the tension between identity and pragmatism. While preserving symbols, networks and personnel inherited from the Italian neo- and post-fascist right, the party has adapted its leadership, communication and policies to broaden its electoral appeal and meet the constraints of government.

Drawing on electoral data, surveys of voters and party elites, political programmes, speeches and institutional analysis, Davide Angelucci, Gianfranco Baldini and Filippo Tronconi examine the party’s organisation, Giorgia Meloni’s leadership and its performance in office. They show how Brothers of Italy has normalised elements of the radical right while presenting itself as a credible governing party, and consider what this transformation means for democratic resilience in Italy and across Europe.