Far-right political parties, often Eurosceptic, have long been at work building their influence in Brussels. On June 12, 2019, Italy’s Lega and France’s Rassemblement National announced that they would form the Identity and Democracy (ID) group within the European Parliament. At a press conference the next day, Marco Zanni of Lega (L) shakes hands with the RN’s Marine Le Pen.
Aris Oikonomou/AFP
Italy will have its first woman prime minister. And both Italy and Western Europe will have their first far-right majority government since the fall of Mussolini and the end of the Second World War.
With the opposition all but giving up, a party with origins in post-war fascism is poised to form a government.
From left, Silvio Berlusconi, Giorgia Meloni and Matteo Salvini address a rally in Rome in 2019. Meloni’s Fratelli d'Italia (Brothers of Italy) party, with neo-fascist roots, has been rising rapidly in popularity ahead of Italy’s Sept. 25 parliamentary elections.
(AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
In claiming the election was “stolen” from him and using the office of the president to the benefit of his family, Trump dips into the authoritarian playbook to convert power into property.
Harvey Weinstein arrives at the Manhattan Criminal Court, on February 24, 2020 in New York City. On March 11 he was sentenced to 23 years in prison for criminal sexual acts and rape.
Timothy A. Clary/AFP
Scandals are violent shocks to social systems, yet not all questionable behaviour produces scandal. How can we explain that some figures escape the consequences of their own behavior while others don’t?
The rise of ‘strongman’ politics, exemplified by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, brings with it considerable risk.
EPA/ Anatoly Maltsev
Italy’s political future hangs in the balance – will it see another chaotic grand coalition, or take an anti-EU populist step into the unknown?
The shirt numbers of Brisbane Roar player Ivan Franjic are seen to dislodge during the Preliminary Stage 2 AFC Champions League match between the Brisbane Roar and Ceres Negros FC at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre in Brisbane, Tuesday, January 23, 2018.
AAP Image/ Dave Hunt
With corruption scandals dogging practically every party, it’s difficult to see how the electorate can have faith in their representatives. And yet, they keep voting for them.
Alexis Sanchez celebrates Arsenal beating Chelsea in the 2017 FA Cup final.
John Sibley/Reuters
In a climate of widespread discontent with Italy’s political establishment, a new election might wipe out most of the parties in the current government coalition.