Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has stated that her party, Brothers of Italy, must get rid of anyone who idolizes Italy's fascist history.
This comes after a video released by Fanpage showed members of the party's youth wing shouting fascist slogans and chanting "Zig Heil."
Response to Recent Events
Meloni expressed her anger and disappointment in a letter to party leaders, saying that such actions have damaged the party's image. She insisted that Brothers of Italy has no place for racism, anti-Semitism, or nostalgia for totalitarian regimes.
"Our politicians' work is too important to be ruined by those who don't understand its significance," she wrote, as reported by Euractiv.
Meloni stressed that anyone whose actions don't align with the party's values is not welcome.
Historical Context
The Brothers of Italy party has roots in a neo-fascist group formed after World War II.
Meloni has tried to distance the party from its far-right origins, asserting that it is now a conservative party. Despite this, recent incidents have brought scrutiny.
Last week, after the second part of Fanpage's investigation, two members left the party's youth wing.
Meloni has rejected any glorification of fascism.
Earlier this year, she condemned people who allegedly performed fascist salutes during a procession in Rome.
The Italian government's parliamentary relations minister, Luca Ciriani, defended the party, saying the Fanpage investigation used out-of-context images taken in a private setting.
