The host of an Italian television channel was stunned when a provocative phrase echoed live on air just days ago. Amid a heated election campaign, he challenged Michele Emiliano, the regional president of Puglia in the south, as Ignazio La Russa—one of the top figures in the far-right Brothers of Italy—canvassed in the debate that followed the opponent’s points.
“We are all heirs to the Duce,” La Russa declared, invoking Benito Mussolini and positioning himself within a controversial lineage that has long sparked national conversation and international scrutiny. His remark came during a moment of heightened political tension as Emiliano pressed his case with strong rhetoric, and La Russa responded with a symbolically charged assertion that drew immediate attention from viewers and critics alike.
As of this Thursday, La Russa had ascended to the presidency of the Senate, a role that he has not hidden from the public eye. His past affiliations and open pride in a fascist-era symbol have been the subject of extensive discussion. In earlier years, on a different television program, he spoke frankly about his personal history, mentioning a collection that included a Mussolini bust and other remnants from the fascist period. More recently, during the health crisis that limited public handshakes, he suggested that such gestures could be replaced with other forms of public expression, a stance that sparked renewed debate about his political symbolism and leanings.
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This matter touches a family thread as well. La Russa’s father, Antonino, served as a secretary in the Ministry of the Interior and was a member of a fascist-aligned party in a small Sicilian town named Paternò. He fought in Africa as a member of the Italian forces and was captured by the British at El Alamein, remaining a prisoner until July 1946. After the war, Antonino joined the Italian Social Movement (MSI), a neo-fascist party that endured for two decades before transforming into other political formations.
In time, the son inherited his father’s political seat and took on leadership roles in Parliament, becoming a steady presence in various executive and legislative positions over many years. The La Russa family became associated with the Generations of Italian politics, with several members serving in roles that shaped the country’s trajectory through decades of change. The family’s political saga also drew attention when a brother, Romano, became a focal point for controversy after moments that drew public ire during recent events and even a funeral reflection involving a fascist salute.
The current path of the Brothers of Italy, under Giorgia Meloni, has been closely watched. Meloni joined with Guido Crosetto to form the party that would later become a pivotal coalition partner in the 2020s. By the time of the 2024 electoral cycle, Meloni had emerged as a leading political figure in Italy, guiding a coalition that captured the electoral win. In the months leading up to and during the campaign, La Russa was repeatedly seen accompanying Meloni at public events, underscoring a visible, ongoing alignment as the election drew near. The political landscape has remained dynamic as the coalition sought broad support, amid the broader shifts in Italy’s government and leadership as a whole.