Abstract
This chapter focuses on the organisation of Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d’Italia, FdI) from the national to the local level. In describing it as ‘presidential’, it pays particular attention to the centrality of its leader, Giorgia Meloni. The first part includes an analysis of the party statute (which outlines the territorial structure of the organisation and defines the role of party members). It also examines the party’s budgets from 2013 to 2021, showing that the party has financed its activities only to a small extent through membership subscriptions and more with state resources, taxpayer payments and private donations. This strictly organisational analysis is then linked to a discussion of the role played inside and outside the organisation by Giorgia Meloni, also considering her presence on social media, which places her in a position of strength and greater visibility than her own party. The postscript compares FdI with the main populist parties of the radical right in France, Spain and Germany.
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Notes
- 1.
Almirante led the MSI from 1969 to 1987. He had already been party leader for a short period between 1947 and 1950. Fini succeeded Almirante in 1987. He was briefly replaced by Pino Rauti in 1990–1991 but then regained the leadership.
- 2.
The ‘Statuto del movimento «Fratelli d’Italia - Alleanza Nazionale»’ is available on the party website at https://www.fratelli-italia.it/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Statuto_registrato_il_31.10.19.pdf (date of access 25/10/2022).
- 3.
The organisation includes various thematic departments, of which the following are mandatory: Organisation; Communication and Propaganda; Local Autonomies; Thematic Workshops; Membership, Congresses and Primaries; Italians Worldwide. It is up to the national president, having consulted the national executive, to create more departments. For example, at the time of writing (October 2022), there are departments for specific policy issues such as Economics and Finance, Defence, Social Equity and Disability, Justice, etc.
- 4.
Finance ministry data on the due per mille are available online her: https://www.finanze.gov.it/finanze/2xmille/public/index.php?tree=2021AADUEXM0101 (date of access 25/10/2022).
- 5.
Marine Le Pen was officially replaced as president of the RN by 27-year-old Jordan Bardella in November 2022 (after he acted as caretaker leader for a year). Here she is still considered as leader and frontrunner of the RN.
- 6.
Giorgia Meloni is not married but has a daughter with her partner. Marine Le Pen has been divorced twice. Alice Weidel is in a relationship with a Sri Lankan-born woman; they live in Switzerland and have also adopted two children.
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Vampa, D. (2023). Organisation and Leadership. In: Brothers of Italy. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-26132-9_3
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