Politics · Italy · 3 hrs ago
La Russa says Italians wanted fascism, drawing criticism from opposition
Senate President Ignazio La Russa said Italians had wanted fascism during a meeting with high-school students in Milan.
He argued that the people’s will can be imperfect but should be accepted as democracy’s highest value.
La Russa said the people had later endorsed the March on Rome, the 1922 fascist march that preceded Benito Mussolini’s rise to power.
Angelo Bonelli of the Green and Left Alliance rejected that account, saying fascism took power through squad violence, attacks on political and workers’ groups, and the king’s appointment of Mussolini under threat.
Democratic Party senator Pier Ferdinando Casini also questioned La Russa’s remarks, recalling that La Russa had taken part in a party turning point that distanced its leaders from fascism.
The comments sparked criticism because they were made to students at an event about the Constitution, and Milan’s Democratic Party group said they rewrote history and offended the city.
Senate President Ignazio La Russa said Italians had wanted fascism, prompting criticism from opposition politicians.
He made the remarks during a meeting with high-school students in Milan about the Constitution.
La Russa said the people’s will can be imperfect but should be accepted as democracy’s highest value.
Angelo Bonelli of Avs said fascism came to power through violence, not the free consent of Italians.
Pier Ferdinando Casini of the Democratic Party questioned whether La Russa had changed his views on fascism.
- Who
- Ignazio La Russa, president of Italy’s Senate, and opposition critics including Angelo Bonelli and Pier Ferdinando Casini.
- What
- La Russa said the Italian people had wanted fascism; opposition politicians condemned his account.
- When
- The remarks were made the day before the articles were published on November 13, 2026.
- Where
- At a meeting with high-school students in the Milan city council chamber at Palazzo Marino.
- Why
- La Russa argued that the people’s will should be accepted as a core democratic value; critics said his account misrepresented how fascism came to power.
La Russa
Angelo Bonelli and Pier Ferdinando Casini
Popular will
La Russa
La Russa said the people’s will can be imperfect but must be accepted, with history judging whether it was right or wrong.
Angelo Bonelli and Pier Ferdinando Casini
Bonelli said fascism did not come to power through the free consent of Italians; Casini said fascism was not a model of a regime that let the people vote.
How fascism came to power
La Russa
La Russa said the people wanted fascism and referred to the March on Rome, later sanctioned by the people.
Angelo Bonelli and Pier Ferdinando Casini
Bonelli said fascism came to power through squadrist violence, attacks on party, union and cooperative offices, the March on Rome and the king’s appointment under threat of violence.
La Russa made the remarks during a meeting with high-school students in Milan, according to the November 13 report.
Bonelli and Casini criticized La Russa’s comments, and the Democratic Party group on Milan’s city council also condemned them.
- Speaker
- Ignazio La Russa, president of Italy’s Senate
- Event
- 17th edition of “Giovani di sana e robusta Costituzione
- Venue
- Palazzo Marino, Milan
- Bonelli’s party
- Avs
- Casini’s party
- Democratic Party
3 sources
What people are saying
La volontà del popolo può essere imperfetta, d'altronde è il popolo che ha voluto il fascismo, non è la rivoluzione fascista.
Il fascismo non è arrivato al potere con il consenso libero degli italiani.
Non mi sembra che il fascismo sia il prototipo di un regime che ha fatto votare il popolo.