Performing (during) the Coronavirus Crisis: The Italian Populist Radical Right between National Opposition and Subnational Government

The first year of COVID-19 confirmed the standing of the populist radical right in Italy. While sitting in opposition at the national level, Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy and Matteo Salvini's League shared common criticism of the Conte II government but experienced diverging trajector...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Government and opposition (London) 2024-10, Vol.59 (4), p.1092-1108
Main Author: Pirro, Andrea L.P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Allegiance
Berlusconi, Silvio
Coalition governments
Conte, Giuseppe (Prime Min)
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Crises
Criticism
Election results
Elections
Euroscepticism
First year
Government
Governors
Immigration policy
Leadership
Pandemics
Political leadership
Political parties
Popularity
Populism
Radicalism
Regions
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Summary:The first year of COVID-19 confirmed the standing of the populist radical right in Italy. While sitting in opposition at the national level, Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy and Matteo Salvini's League shared common criticism of the Conte II government but experienced diverging trajectories in terms of popularity. The first had enjoyed growing support since the 2018 general election, whereas the second lost out after leaving the government coalition in 2019. These changes can be partly attributed to the different agency of their leaderships. Looking at the League's performance at the helm of key regions affected by the pandemic, moreover, its governors elaborated different responses to the crisis, which ostensibly reflect the varying allegiances and visions animating the internal life of the party. Overall and collectively considered, the Italian populist radical right broke even during the first year of COVID-19, but the crisis exposed the first cracks in Salvini's leadership.
ISSN:0017-257X
1477-7053
DOI:10.1017/gov.2022.28