Italy and all of Europe woke up Monday to a new political reality after far-right politician Giorgia Meloni claimed victory in Italy’s snap elections. With nearly all the results in, Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, a group of neo-fascist origin, took the bulk of the vote.
Her far-right coalition, which includes the League, led by Matteo Salvini, and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party, has a clear majority and should be able to form a new government. Such a coalition of nationalist and far-right parties would represent Italy’s most right-wing government since the end of Benito Mussolini’s rule in 1945. Meloni has made a name for herself with strongly conservative stances on abortion, immigration and LGBTQ+ rights.
Given the seismic political shift, it may have been surprising to see few voices emerging in Italy’s traditionally left-wing entertainment industry. Only a handful of the country’s prominent actors, directors and musicians have taken to social media to publicly express their views on the election.
Many of the cultural and film industry’s most politically active figures are not active on social media, but the silence, especially after the intense and divisive election campaign of recent weeks, is telling.
One who did speak out was Francesca Michielin, singer and presenter of the Italian edition of X Factorwho bluntly tweeted: “Our resistance starts today”.
On Instagram, Damiano, frontman of Eurovision Song Contest winners Maneskin, wrote: “Today is a sad day for my country, linking to election news in the center-left newspaper La Republica.
“I didn’t vote for you,” noted actor and director Filippo Timi, who appeared alongside George Clooney in 2010. The American.
In a reference to the Brothers of Italy’s fascist ties, Perfect Strangers actress Kasia Smutniak wrote: in october we set the time back an hour, today we go back to a hundred years ago.
Others indulged in dark humor.
“I’m not sure if I should change my outfit or my country,” joked comedian and TV host Luciana Littizzetto.
While The great beauty actress Sabrina Ferilli joked:[at least the] Trains will now be on time,” a reference to the common myth that when Mussolini was in charge, the trains were never late.
Pietro Turano, actor and LGBTQ+ activist, however, had no time for jokes. In a lengthy statement on Instagram, he called out “The shortsightedness of politics” [which] has left parliament in the hands of the most conservative factions, even though the country has in fact voted for progressive parties.”
Instead of words, director Paolo Virzì, whose new film siccità premiered at the Venice Film Festival and is currently in theaters, shared a comic strip about Giorgia Meloni.
Actor Alessandro Gassman (Conveyor 2, Dinner) took a more conciliatory approach, tweeting: “That’s how democracy works. Good luck to those who must now lead this country.”