Key facts
- General Roberto Vannacci has launched a new political party, National Future, which is rapidly gaining support.
- Vannacci's party is challenging the governing coalition in Italy and impacting the League party.
- The new party's platform includes remigration, limits on foreigners, and traditional values.
- Vannacci's rise is forcing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to address right-wing issues like migration and national identity.
- Vannacci's party has achieved parity with the League in recent polls, with over 100,000 members signed up.
- Vannacci's political stances include opposition to Ukraine's EU accession and increased defense spending.
General Roberto Vannacci, a firebrand ex-paratrooper, has launched a new political party, National Future, which is rapidly gaining support in Italy and challenging Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition ahead of the 2027 general election.
Vannacci's ascent is impacting the anti-immigration League party, led by Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, with polls showing National Future reaching parity with the League. This rise is forcing Meloni to confront right-wing issues such as migration, national identity, Russia, and NATO spending, potentially shifting the coalition's center of gravity further right.
Meloni faces a difficult decision on whether to court Vannacci's electorate, risking alienation of moderate voters and center-right allies in Forza Italia who view Vannacci's positions as a danger to Italy's international credibility. Vannacci has openly advocated for "remigration" and expressed hostility toward Brussels, stating "Italy must be for the Italians."
The Prime Minister's own shift to the right has been noted, including her denunciation of an anti-fascist pledge at a literary festival, which opposition leaders interpreted as an attempt to court Vannacci's supporters. Giuseppe Conte, leader of the 5Star Movement, accused Meloni of being "obsessed with Vannacci."
Vannacci first gained national attention with his book "The World Upside Down," which critics described as racist, homophobic, and misogynistic, but it became a bestseller. National Future claims over 100,000 members and has attracted defectors from the governing coalition, including former Brothers of Italy lawmaker Emanuele Pozzolo, who cited disillusionment with the government's perceived lack of ideological clarity and international submissiveness.
Pollster Lorenzo Pregliasco noted Vannacci's appeal to disaffected voters and the "fresh new thing" factor. Carlo Calenda of the centrist Action party drew parallels to previous populist movements.
Vannacci's platform includes remigration, limiting foreigners, lowering the workforce entry age to 14, salaries for stay-at-home mothers, and rolling back legal protections for women. Supporters describe him as an uncompromising voice on security and national identity.
Vannacci's military background and emphasis on patriotism resonate with voters. Parliamentarian Laura Ravetto defected from the League, believing Vannacci, as a "soldier," is the right person to defend the nation's identity and traditions.
Vannacci is also influencing European policy, notably opposing Ukraine's accession to the EU. This stance has led the League to harden its position, creating tensions for Meloni between European partners and the nationalist wing at home, particularly as U.S. President Donald Trump has renewed focus on Ukraine.