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.