Who is Ignazio La Russa, the Mussolini fan who became president of the Italian Senate

He is 75 years old and, in the last 30, he was part of “all the political maneuvers of the Italian right”. Now, Ignazio Benito La Russa sees the fruits of his perseverance by becoming president of the Senate, a position he reached with 116 votes. His promotion was celebrated by the virtual prime minister, Giorgia Meloniwho described him as a “friend” and “brother” of the party they co-founded, Hermanos de Italy.

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Son of Antonino LaRussa -one of the secretaries National Fascist Party and elected senator for 20 consecutive years -, was born on July 18, 1947 in Sicily, “in a family of landowners”, tells “The Nation”. La Russa later joined the Italian Social Movement (MSI)party to which Meloni belonged at the beginning of his career. “It was a party of the extreme right that winked at fascism -explains the Italian analyst Francesco Tucci-. It was full of nostalgic”.

About his experience in said group, La Russa has said: “It was the party of those who lost the war, but its great merit is that it never thought of terrorism or rebellion and always of democracy.”.

He studied at the Swiss college St. Gallen and then law at the University of Pavia. For 1992, was already a senator for the MSI. The group, however, dissolved two years later, and he laid one of the first stones to shape the National Alliance (AN). Thus until 2008, when AN joined forces with forza italy (of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi) and resulted in Liberty Town. With that group, he assumed the portfolio of Defending.

Tucci recounts that, with the AN led by Gianna Fini an attempt was made to create a modern right, but it was not achieved. Later, and with Berlusconi in the equation, there was a break. “La Russa left with Meloni to go further to the right and found Brothers from Italy. Considering his political background, it made sense for this to happen.”.

And it is still curious that La Russa is not a politician questioned for corruption scandals or of that nature, but for his admiration for fascism. In fact, he is known as a collector of fascist items, such as photographs, books and medals of the dictator. Benito Mussolini. Some of his comments are not unrelated to this interest: after his brother made “the fascist salute during the funeral of a neo-fascist militant”, he defended him: “It was a serious mistake […] [Pero] we are all heirs to the Duce […] in the sense that we are heirs to our parents and grandparents”.

Then, in February 2020, he tweeted about the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic: “Do not approach anyone. It is deadly to contaminate. Give the Roman salute: it’s antiviral and against microbes”.

Tucci notes: “He is a temperamental person, so he must be careful not to give opinions outside the line now that he embodies the third institution of the State”.

Image from July 7, 2011, showing Ignazio La Russa, then Defense Minister. REUTERS (Alessandro Bianchi /)

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a key position

the joy that Ignazio LaRussa showed by accepting the presidency of the Senate is not consistent with his public image. In fact, because of the long hair, thick beard and stern expression that he wore during the 70s, he was nicknamed Rasputin. That is why it is valid to ask, What is the significance of your arrival in office? Tucci explains that there are three great positions in Italy: the presidencies of the Republicof the Camera and of Senate. All of them, notes the specialist, are vital for democratic functioning because it is expected that those who hold them “do not represent the interests of any party”.

“La Russa occupies a fundamental position because he is the one who establishes the work agenda in the Senate. In that sense, can she favor Brothers from Italy? Yes. Should I? No. In general, in Italy one of those presidencies should be left to the opposition, but this has not been the case”.

If to this is added that La Russa is an old fox, a connoisseur of the weaves and handlings of politics, it is understandable that some view his appointment with mistrust. Tucci adds: “The Government has an absolute majority of seats in both the Senate and the Chamber. That is, they have control of the legislature, so they can essentially do anything”.

Meloni, for example, promised changes to the Constitution and, despite the fact that a qualified majority is required for this, Tucci believes that “it is feasible that they be achieved through dialogue with other parties”.

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The analyst, however, bets on putting cold cloths to so much suspicion. “In Italy, a center-right coalition promoted by the extreme right won, so it is clear that the government will be more towards that side. But we cannot question the intentions and think that being from the extreme right they will automatically be oppressive, but the facts. It remains to be seen who will be the ministers”.

According to “El País”, Giorgia Meloni is having a difficult time with this election. For example, in key portfolios such as Economycertain candidatesthey have already rejected” The charge. In addition, as “El Heraldo” highlights, the same Berlusconi is willing to boycott it (he made members of forza italy did not vote for La Russa for the presidency), after being excluded from the formula that will govern, which remained in the hands of Brothers from Italy and the League.

Tucci adds: “That is why I prefer to reserve the prognosis. Remember that, finally, Meloni’s program must be approved by the Camera and the Senate through a motion of confidence. We have to wait”.

And he adds: “In addition, the Government will have to relate to the European Union and its institutions, so I think extremist speeches will be reduced. Others, of course, do not. Migration is one of them. Surely there will be a war on the rules of the block and that will be a crucial point for friction. But in others, they will settle down because European funds are needed to reactivate the Italian economy.”.

Source: Elcomercio