Vannacci's National Future: a rogue general's rise unsettles Europe

The Guardian's editorial board has weighed in on the rise of Roberto Vannacci's National Future party, calling its early success "an ominous signal" as extreme politics become normalised in Italy. The commentary, published Thursday, points to Vannacci's 2023 book The World Turned Upside Down — a far-right tract that prompted a disciplinary inquiry when it appeared while he was still a serving general — as the foundation of his political ascent.

The editorial frames Vannacci as a "rogue general" whose movement taps into a broader European trend, where once-marginal figures find mainstream traction. It warns that the normalisation of such politics erodes democratic guardrails, a concern echoed across the continent as nationalist parties gain ground in several EU member states.

For the South, the rise of a figure like Vannacci carries particular weight. Puglia, with its deep agricultural roots and its position on the Adriatic migration frontier, has historically been a battleground for competing visions of Italian identity — from the anti-establishment Five Star Movement to the hard-right positions now ascendant in national politics.

According to the Guardian editorial, Vannacci's trajectory is a symptom of a wider malaise. The newspaper notes that his book, which was published while he was on active duty, was followed by a swift disciplinary response — yet that did not stop his political ambitions. The editorial suggests that his success reflects a moment when "extreme politics" are no longer fringe but are being absorbed into the mainstream conversation, a dynamic that has played out across Europe from France to Germany.

The regional angle is not one the Guardian explores directly, but the implications for southern Italy are real. Puglia's economy — heavily reliant on EU agricultural subsidies and cohesion funds — makes it sensitive to the anti-EU rhetoric that often accompanies nationalist movements. A shift toward a government more aligned with Vannacci's positions could reshape the region's relationship with Brussels, affecting everything from olive oil export rules to migration policy on its Adriatic coast.

The Guardian's intervention is notable for its timing, coming as Italy's fourth heatwave of the summer compounds pressures on the state and as the government in Rome faces scrutiny over its handling of migration and housing. The editorial does not predict electoral outcomes, but it frames the rise of National Future as a test of whether Italy's democratic institutions can hold the line against normalisation of the far right.

Vannacci's party, named National Future, has yet to contest a national election, but the Guardian's coverage suggests its early polling has startled observers. The editorial's language — "rogue general" — is deliberately provocative, signalling that the newspaper sees this as a story with European-wide stakes, not merely an Italian curiosity.