The post-fascist universe, which for years has been driving the emergence of parties like the Brothers of Italy, chaired by Giorgia Meloni, relied on its most festive version of an exotic cultural crossroads. On the one hand, the youth of the Italian Social Movement (MSI) looked with suspicion on the great leaders of fascism such as Pino Rauti, politician and agitator of that time. On the other hand, their political descendants – such as the National Alliance and the Brothers of Italy – were entertained by the fantastic literature of authors such as JRR. Tolkien or Michael Ende. From the beginning they adopted the idea of organizing the hobbit camps, a kind of coexistence of young youngsters of the party. From the author of “The Neverending Story” they took Atreyu, one of the children who play the main role in the novel, to christen the meeting, which has been held annually in Rome since 1998. This year, when Giorgia Meloni becomes Prime Minister of Italy, the star guest – with the permission of Vox boss Santiago Abascal – will be businessman and tycoon Elon Musk, global hero of populism and the right, closest to conspiracy theories. (in Italy they adore him, from Matteo Salvini, the leader of the League, to the entire anti-vaccination universe. Also the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who will be in Rome on Saturday, will meet Meloni, although his presence at the event is not confirmed.
Atreyu, they explain on the website of the Youth Congress of the Brothers of Italy, has a clear meaning. “It represents the example of a young man committed to the daily struggle against the forces of nothingness, against an enemy that destroys the imagination of youth, consumes its energy, deprives it of values and ideals until it transforms its existence into one The social right built it under this premise as a space for debate and confrontation of ideas and always invited politicians of all ideological stripes. Giuseppe Conte (leader of the 5 Star Movement), Matteo Renzi, Massimo D'Alema, Silvio Berlusconi and Steve Bannon have all passed through here. A multitude of guests, but always influenced by the ideological line of the party's youth, which this year gave Vox leader Santiago Abascal a place of honor at the end of the event.
The Brothers of Italy are widespread in Roman territory and usually hold meetings and parties in neighborhoods and small communities. Atreyu has already become a classic Roman political meeting. The presence of the ultra-Spanish politician at the event, which will take place in the Roman gardens of Castel Sant'Angelo, was announced just as his comments in Argentina about the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, were revealed, in which he predicted that the day would come when the Spanish citizens would hang him by his feet. His words, while not only inciting violence, also referred to the death of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on April 28, 1945 and his public display hanging upside down in Milan's Piazza Loreto the following day. Abascal's omens astonished even the militancy of the Brothers of Italy – in a way adding to Mussolinian nostalgia – and some demanded that his invitation be withdrawn. It was not like that. Meloni has high regard for the Vox boss and he will attend the closing of the congress on Sunday, which will also serve as his first public appearance with his community partners for the campaign for the next European elections.
The person responsible for the event and the organization of this training, Giovanni Donzelli, took the matter lightly. “We do not interfere in the domestic politics of other nations. That means good institutional relationships. “Italy and Spain are collaborating nations, friends as well as institutions, each has its own internal politics,” Donzelli said when asked by journalists about the controversy. And he added: “Santiago Abascal is an important representative of the conservatives with whom we will discuss European affairs, not internal Spanish affairs.” It is the second time that Meloni has supported Santiago Abascal in less than a month and in a somewhat inappropriate way . The latest incident occurred when Pedro Sánchez was sworn in as president of the Spanish government and the leader of Vox claimed that a coup was taking place. On the same day he was received in Rome by Giorgia Meloni.
Abascal's words also led to some guests, such as the co-spokesman of the Green Party and MP for the Green and Left Alliance, Angelo Bonelli, being excluded from the event. “I consider it absolutely inadmissible and indecent and therefore declare that I will decline the invitation to take part in the debate on Friday.” In addition, the leader of the Democratic Party and opposition leader in Italy, Elly Schlein, specifically called out Meloni because of his words to distance themselves from Abascal.
Musk's case is slightly different and only inspires enthusiasm and selfie fervor. The tycoon is now the spice of almost all right-wing extremist and populist sauces that want media and economic support and a certain patina of innovation. But his presence is also a joy for investors and business people. The owner of Tesla and the social network The owner of X is interviewed by journalist Nicola Porro, presenter of the event.
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He will be accompanied by guests such as Luciano Fontana, director of Corriere della Sera; businessman Flavio Briatore; the mayor of Rome, the socialist Roberto Gualtieri, or the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. The latter, despite being leader of his country's Socialist Party, maintains excellent relations with Meloni and recently signed an agreement with Italy to host reception centers on Albanian territory for migrants rescued on the Italian coast. A project that would fundamentally enable the deportation of rejected migrants to their countries of origin, borders on international legality and is met with disapproval in Brussels. “I am a socialist, but also an old friend of Italy and feel very connected to Giorgia Meloni.” So much so that they both even spent part of their vacation together in Albania last summer.
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