General Roberto Vannacci’s Far-Right Party Threatens Meloni Ahead of 2025 Italy Elections
By Crispian Balmer
Vannacci’s Political Challenge and Party Launch
ROME, June 14 (Reuters) - General Roberto Vannacci launched his new far-right party on Sunday, posing a direct challenge to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's grip on power as he seeks to pull Italy in a more hardline, nationalist direction ahead of elections next year.
Futuro Nazionale’s Inaugural Congress
Introduced by a party official as a modern-day Julius Caesar, the 57-year-old former paratrooper was greeted by chants of "Generale, Generale, Generale" as he took to the stage of Futuro Nazionale's inaugural congress.
Vannacci’s Positioning and Rhetoric
"We represent the rejects and the dregs, and are proud of it," said Vannacci, who is looking to outflank Meloni's conservative coalition on the right, four months after quitting Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini's League party.
Vannacci's populist movement is already polling at close to 5%, closing in on the League and potentially clouding Meloni's hopes of regaining power in next year's national vote, unless she forges an electoral pact with him.
Risks of a Meloni-Vannacci Alliance
However, such a tie-up would carry major risks for Meloni and potentially scare away moderate supporters deterred by Vannacci's anti-EU, pro-Russia agenda and his close ties to far-right European parties such as Germany's AfD.
Immigration and Nationalist Policies
Hardline Immigration Stance
Positioning himself as the most hawkish voice on immigration in Italy, Vannacci said on Sunday he would slash the number of foreigners living in Italy to some 4% of the total population from an estimated 12% at present.
"We don't have a programme for immigration, we have a programme for re-migration," he said to cheers.
Economic and Social Policy Proposals
Economic Plans Drawn from Old Playbook
ECONOMIC PLANS DRAWN FROM OLD PLAYBOOK
Unveiling its programme at the weekend, Futuro Nazionale embraced many of the policies that Meloni had championed during her years in opposition, before she took charge of Italy's debt mountain in 2022 and had to reassure investors.
Eurozone and EU Policy
Vannacci said he wanted a discussion on Italy's membership of the euro single currency. He also proposed abandoning the EU's Green Deal aimed at drastically cutting carbon emissions, and ending Italy's ban on nuclear power.
Family and Security Initiatives
The programme also backed incentives for families, including a cut in taxes for those with children.
Though Italy has one of the lowest rates for murder and violent crime in the world, Vannacci said his first priority would be security and defence, vowing zero tolerance for criminals and promising to build more prisons.
Criticism of Meloni and Flexibility in Policy
Vannacci has accused Meloni of reneging on many of her campaign pledges, but he acknowledged that his own programme was not written in stone.
"No plan survives the first shot in battle ... it has to be adapted to reality," he said.
(Reporting by Crispian Balmer;Editing by Helen Popper)
