Right-wing memories of fascism in Italy

In recent decades, Italy has experienced a continuous normalisation of fascism. This has included the use of fascist salutes, the belief in a good fascism, various attempts to name public places after fascist figures, celebrations of fascist anniversaries, controversies over places recalling the history of fascism, the persistence of Mussolini’s grandchildren in politics and hard-line neo-fascists enjoying media attention. This article describes how this challenging phenomenon has evolved over the years. In particular, it argues that the rehabilitation of interwar fascism is led mostly by right-wing forces with positive views of Mussolini’s regime, and especially by far-right militants characterised by an ideological as well as nostalgic entrenchment. Building on previous research, I claim that this nostalgic frame is linked to a specific approach that developed since the historical transition of the years 1943-1946. This rehabilitation of fascism is also facilitated by changes in European culture and a contemporary form of revisionism that - starting with the fall of the First Republic - has changed some perceptions of Italian history.