First right-wing victory in Mussolini's hometown since WWII

Photo credit: Pop Off Quotidiano

PREDAPPIO - Right-wing parties claimed victory in the town where Mussolini was born, and subsequently buried, for the first time since World War II, an event which mirrors the marked rise of nationalist and populist sentiments over the past few months.

 While the left-wing had not achieved an outright majority for a number of years, the mayoral position had remained in the hands of either the Democratic Party or the Italian Communist Party. “Truthfully, the left has not been a majority force for around ten years,” former mayor Giorgio Frassineti told Il Messaggero, “but I had always been able to win.”

 Frassineti, however, was ineligible to run in this year’s contest following his two terms as mayor, and could only look on as the right won with circa 61 per cent of the vote. Roberto Canali, a local entrepreneur and the right-wing candidate, won 2,100 votes to the 1,350 won by the left-wing contender.

 Predappio welcomes Italians who commemorate Mussolini’s death on April 28 each year, but the incumbent mayor was quick to distance himself to the extreme right-wing espoused by Il Duce.

 “I am not nostalgic for fascism,” Canali said. “As for the celebrations that are held every year to commemorate the death of Mussolini, they must be tackled with a certain degree of lucidity, we must make the best of a bad situation as these tributes are out-dated.”

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