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CasaPound

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CasaPound Italia (abbr. CPI; "House of [Ezra] Pound") is an Italian neo-fascist[4] movement. It was formerly a political party, born as a network of far-right social centres arising from the occupation of a state-owned building by squatters in the neighborhood of Esquilino in Rome on 26 December 2003. Subsequently, CasaPound spread with other instances of squatting, demonstrations and various initiatives, becoming a political movement.

CasaPound
PresidentGianluca Iannone
Founded26 December 2003 (2003-12-26)[1]
Split fromTricolour Flame
Youth wingStudents' Block
Membership (2017)6,000[2][3]
IdeologyNeo-fascism[4][5]
Italian nationalism[6]
Hard Euroscepticism[7]
Souverainism[8][9]
Anti-capitalism[10]
Laicism[11][12]
Political positionFar-right[4][13][14][15][16]
European affiliationAlliance of European National Movements (2014)
Nation Europa (2024–)
Party flag
Website
www.casapounditalia.org Edit this at Wikidata

As such, in June 2008, CasaPound therefore constituted an "association of social promotion", and assumed its current name CasaPound Italia – CPI; the party's symbol is the "Arrowed Turtle".[17] On 26 June 2019, CasaPound's leader Gianluca Iannone announced CasaPound existence as a political party had ended, going back to its original status of social movement.[18]

History

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CasaPound building in via Napoleone III, Rome (2010)

The first occupation made using the name CasaPound was on 26 December 2003 in Rome, by a group of young people referring to the ONC/OSA area (acronym for "Non-Compliant Occupations and Occupations with a Housing Purpose"), and coming from previous experience of CasaMontag (named after Guy Montag) at the gates of Rome. The building, a state-owned building in via Napoleone III, later has been used as the national headquarters of the movement and the association. In 2010, 23 families and a total of 82 people lived in CasaPound occupied building.[19]

Previously, CasaPound was associated with Tricolour Flame until 2008[20] but now has its own movement, CasaPound Italy, extending all over Italy with many social centres. While CPI does not recognize the classic definitions of right and left,[21] it is commonly placed in the category of the political groups and movements of the Italian radical right. Casapound is generally self-defined by its followers as Third Position, however.[22]

In 2011 it was estimated that CasaPound Italy had 5,000 members, while in 2017 they reached 6,000.[23] On 13 November 2017, Simone Di Stefano was elected secretary and nominal prime ministerial candidate for the 2018 general election,[24] although the party subsequently formally stated that it hoped Northern League leader Matteo Salvini became prime minister.[25]

In order to participate in the 2019 European Parliament election in Italy, an electoral joint list was formed by CasaPound together with United Right.[26] CasaPound leader Simone Di Stefano topped the coalition's list however the coalition was unable to win any seats in the European Parliament.[27] On 26 June 2019, CasaPound's Iannone announced CasaPound existence as a political party had ended, going back to its original status of social movement.[18]

During the 2022 Italian general election, CasaPound supported Italexit, which had a candidate list that included CasaPound members.[28][29]

Ideology

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One feature of this movement, according to sociologist Emanuele Toscano, is to present a different interpretation of fascism aimed at overcoming the dichotomy of right-left.[30] The political position of CasaPound is based on the fascist Third Position, defined as "extreme-upper-centre" by the movement itself.[31]

The name, inspired by the poet Ezra Pound, refers to his Cantos against usury, criticisms of the economic positions of both capitalism and Marxism, and his cooperation with the Italian Social Republic. It also gives particular attention to the Manifesto of Verona, the Labour Charter of 1927 and social legislation of fascism.[32] There has been collaboration with the identitarian movement which propagates a white, Christian Europe.[33] The movement also praises the legacy of far-left figures, like Che Guevara[34] and Hugo Chávez.[35]

On social and domestic issues, CasaPound has a strong anti-immigration stance,[36] but lack of homogeneity on other themes. In January 2016, many members of the movement participated in the Family Day, supporting the traditional family idea.[37] In 2017, the establishment of CasaPound expressed support for same-sex civil unions,[38] advance directive and improvement of the welfare state.[39][40] The party supports abortion rights.[41] Some activists of the movement expressed antisemitic and xenophobic rhetoric online,[42] but CasaPound both refuses and expels members who support these ideas.[43]

On foreign policy, CasaPound is critical of the European Union, instead supporting a communitarian-nationalist Europe.[44][45] The Movement was originally both anti-American[46][47] and anti-Zionist,[48] and started a cooperation with the Lebanese anti-imperialist, anti-Zionist, Shia Islamist party Hezbollah in 2015.[49] However, Di Stefano later said, "we do not have problems with Israel".[50] In 2018, Di Stefano defended Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policies regarding repatriation of illegal immigrants to Africa as "undoubtedly excellent", and criticised humanitarian organisations and the United Nations for intervening to prevent them.[51] After the end of Di Stefano's leadership of CasaPound, it reverted to a strongly pro-Palestine stance in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.[52][53]

Di Stefano has expressed support for U.S. President Donald Trump, but requested that he close U.S. military bases in Italy.[54]

Although leader Di Stefano has maintained outspoken support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, CasaPound has always taken a pro-Ukraine stance, being closely linked with the nationalist organization Right Sector, with members fighting among the ranks of the Azov Battalion and Misanthropic Division.[55] This positions the organization as opposed to its neo-fascist rival New Force, which although a former Italian ally of the Ukrainian party Svoboda, it has, since 2014, taken a pro-Russian stance in the conflict and sent fighters to Donbas.[56] According to the Italian edition of the HuffPost, members of CasaPound went to fight in Ukraine, among them Francesco Saverio Fontana, who enlisted in the Azov Battalion.[57]

Activities

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CasaPound rally in Naples.

The social centre has its own musical band, Zetazeroalfa, an association of civil protection and promotes sports (hiking, parachuting, diving and other disciplines), union activities, and recreational activities, including a theater company, web radio, web television and a monthly magazine.

CasaPound has promoted initiatives outside the Italian territory through its non-profit organization Solidarité Identités.[58] The activities of the movement have been the subject of attention by some foreign media.[59][60]

From the period of activity of the first social centre then were organized and cultural meetings with several guests, including writer Nicolai Lilin,[61] the LGBT deputy Paola Concia,[62] an ex-Red Brigades Valerio Morucci,[63] and the Chinese community.[64]

The main CasaPound political proposal is the so-called Mutuo Sociale (Social Mortgage),[65] as a response to the problem of housing which, according to official data, involving approximately 23,000 households throughout Italy. In October 2011, the Lazio Region officially approved it within its "House Plan".[66]

Starting with the 2011 elections CasaPound presented their candidates in local elections in civic lists or centre-right and succeeded in electing its representatives.[67] At regional and national elections of 2013 CasaPound Italy announced that it will present its civic lists throughout Italy.

Blocco Studentesco

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Logo of Blocco Studentesco, the youth wing of CasaPound.

CasaPounds student organization Blocco Studentesco was founded in 2006. Aside from being a place for interested people to find others with similar political views it also takes part in student elections. In 2009 it successfully entered the student parliaments with 100 representatives.[68] Its logo is based on the flag of Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists from the 1930s.[69]

Blocco Studentescos main forms of action are demonstrations and parades.[70] Events such as flash mobs, hard bass and happenings are also organized and used for content production on social media.[71]

Some of the direct action Blocco Studentesco takes part in is violent. In 2008 there was a fight between the student organisation and left-wing students in Piazza Navona in Rome.[72]

Questions have been submitted by parliamentarians of the Democratic Party about fascist propaganda and the violence of the student movement.[73]

In October 2023, the Students' Block protested an event in Rome attended by the Likud, the Republican Party, the National Rally, Fidesz and the Alternative for Germany, calling for the liberation of Palestine, the Golan Heights and the Republic of Artsakh, and condemning the parties in attendance as "pro-Russian and anti-European".[74]

International meetings

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Over the years the leaders of CasaPound Italy have been invited to explain its “political model” in many of the major European capitals (Paris, Madrid, London, Lisbon, Brussels, Warsaw)[75] and the organization has been the subject of some reports by foreign media.[59]

In 2011 the Finnish Resistance Movement also invited members of CasaPound to a seminar in Helsinki.[76] The Finnish Resistance Movement represents national socialism.[77] The Finnish Security Intelligence Service researched the connections of the Finnish Resistance Movement to CasaPound after the 2011 Florence shootings.[78]

Symbolic figures

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The party's choice of American poet Ezra Pound as a symbol of the movement has caused controversy with his daughter, Mary de Rachewiltz, who claimed it distorts the meaning of Pound's work and represents a "misappropriation" of his image,[79] despite Pound's stated support for fascism.

Electoral results

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Italian Parliament

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Chamber of Deputies
Election year Votes % Seats +/– Leader
2013 47,691 (20th) 0.14
0 / 630
–
Gianluca Iannone
2018 312,432 (10th) 0.95
0 / 630
–
Simone Di Stefano
Senate of the Republic
Election year Votes % Seats +/– Leader
2013 40,540 (20th) 0.13
0 / 315
–
Gianluca Iannone
2018 259,718 (10th) 0.86
0 / 315
–
Simone Di Stefano

European Parliament

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European Parliament
Election year Votes % Seats +/– Leader
2019 89,142 0.33
0 / 72
new
 Simone Di Stefano
Massimiliano Panero

Regional or Provincial Councils

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Region Election year Votes % Seats +/–
Lombardy 2018 45,416 0.86
0 / 80
–
Umbria 2015 2,343 0.66
0 / 20
–
Lazio 2013 18,491 0.66
0 / 50
–
2018 42,609 1.68
0 / 50
–
Abruzzo 2019 2,974 0.47
0 / 31
–
Molise 2018 477 0.33
0 / 21
–
South Tyrol 2018 2,451 0.86
0 / 35
–
Trentino 2018 1,215 0.48
0 / 35
–

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Giuseppe Parente (26 December 2016). "26 Dicembre 2003: Nel Cuore Di Roma Nasce CasaPound". FascinAzione.
  2. ^ "CasaPound: quasi seimila iscritti in 48 ore, risultato da record per la festa del tesseramento". CasaPound Italia. 16 January 2017. Archived from the original on 17 November 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  3. ^ "Interview with Sebastien (CasaPound Italia". RECONQUISTA. 17 February 2016. Archived from the original on 12 May 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Upchurch, H. E. (22 December 2021). Cruickshank, Paul; Hummel, Kristina (eds.). "The Iron March Forum and the Evolution of the "Skull Mask" Neo-Fascist Network" (PDF). CTC Sentinel. 14 (10). West Point, New York: Combating Terrorism Center: 27–37. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 December 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  5. ^ Pietro Castelli Gattinara; Caterina Froio; Matteo Albanese (2013). The appeal of neo-fascism in times of crisis. The experience of CasaPound Italia (PDF). . Journal of Comparative Fascist Studies.
  6. ^ "Reggio Emilia - Contro ogni nazionalismo, per un'Europa di diritti e dignità". Global Project.
  7. ^ "Intervista a Simone Di Stefano sull'Unione Europea". Archived from the original on 25 April 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  8. ^ Katia Bonchi (14 September 2017). "Estrema destra, parlano i militanti della Superba: "Neofascisti? Termine riduttivo, siamo sovranisti e guardiamo al futuro"". Genova24.
  9. ^ Antonio Rapisarda (14 June 2017). "I movimenti di Ultradestra provano a rifarsi il look come "sovranisti" (E qualcuno li vota...)". Dagospia.
  10. ^ Jean-Yves Camus; Nicolas Lebourg (5 November 2015). Les Droites extrêmes en Europe (in French). Editions du Seuil. ISBN 9782021176520.
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  12. ^ "EMILIA ROMAGNA Referendum, Casapound con Sel e 5 Stelle: "Vogliamo una scuola pubblica e laica"". Il Fatto Quotidiano. 10 May 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
  13. ^ Binnie, Isla (20 November 2017). "Italy's far-right makes inroads locally as nation frets about fascism". Reuters. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  14. ^ "Far-right CasaPound activist 'attacked' (3) - English". 1 March 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  15. ^ "++ Far-right CasaPound activist 'attacked in Livorno' ++". Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  16. ^ Millar, Joey (8 March 2018). "Anti-fascists BOMB far-right party headquarters as tensions rise after Italy election". Retrieved 20 September 2018.
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  19. ^ (in Italian) Mario Bernardi Guardi, "Sono fascisti i ragazzi di Casa Pound e del Blocco Studentesco? È da qualche anno che politici, giornalisti, sociologi si pongono la domanda ed è da qualche anno che non riescono a dare e a darsi una risposta convincente," Archived 4 August 2012 at archive.today Il Tempo (22 October 2010). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  20. ^ "CasaPound Italia - La storia" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 11 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  21. ^ (in Italian) "Manifesto dell’Estremocentroalto" Archived 31 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine (18 October 2011). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  22. ^ ""Basta con destra e sinistra Meglio etica, epica ed estetica"". ilGiornale.it (in Italian). Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  23. ^ Tom Kington, "Italy's fascists stay true to Mussolini's ideology,"The Guardian (6 November 2011). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  24. ^ "Elezioni: Di Stefano diventa il segretario di CasaPound e lancia il programma per le politiche". www.casapounditalia.org. Archived from the original on 21 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  25. ^ "Fascists throw support behind hard-Right party in Silvio Berlusconi's alliance ahead of Italian election". The Daily Telegraph. 26 February 2018.
  26. ^ "Elezioni Europee 2019: CasaPound in lizza con Destre Unite". Affaritaliani.it. 7 April 2019.
  27. ^ "CasaPound Italia - Destre Unite - I candidati - Speciale Europee 2019".
  28. ^ "CasaPound si schiera con Paragone. Attacca la svolta moderata di Meloni". 15 August 2022.
  29. ^ "Carlotta Chiaraluce, da CasaPound a Italexit: "Porterò gli stessi valori in Parlamento"". 21 August 2022.
  30. ^ Emanuele Toscano & Daniele Di Nunzio "Can We Still Speak about Extreme Right Movements? Casapound in Italy between Community and Subjectivation Drives," XVII World Congress of Sociology (14 July 2010). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  31. ^ "Basta con destra e sinistra Meglio etica, epica ed estetica". il Giornale. 10 April 2009.
  32. ^ Paolo Berizzi (21 June 2017). "Saluti romani e un tocco di glamour ecco la nuova strategia di CasaPound". la Repubblica.
  33. ^ Eleonora Vio, "Arrivano i Nazi-Pop", dagospia.com, 26 July 2016.
  34. ^ Angela Gennaro (17 October 2017). "Casapound, è la volta di Porro. Scontro su Che Guevara: "Per voi è un modello, ma a me ha rotto le palle per tutta l'infanzia"". il Fatto Quotidiano.
  35. ^ ""Patria, socialismo o muerte". Casa Pound ricorda Chavez: striscioni in 50 città". Blitz. 11 March 2013.
  36. ^ Tom Kington (6 November 2011). "Italy's fascists stay true to Mussolini's ideology". The Guardian.
  37. ^ Alessandro Trocino (26 January 2016). "Al Family day anche Casa Pound. Gli organizzatori: non li vogliamo". Corriere della Sera.
  38. ^ "Fvg Pride, Casapound Trieste: "Pagliacciata folkoristica, ma non siamo omofobi"". Trieste Cafe. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  39. ^ Alessandro Capriccioli (8 February 2012). "Roma, Casapound spiazza tutti". l'Espresso.
  40. ^ Marco Zonetti (26 October 2017). "M5s già vecchio: CasaPound è la novità che aspira a entrare in Parlamento". Affari Italiani.it.
  41. ^ "Casapound, il rassicurante fascista da salotto". La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  42. ^ Jamie Bartlett; Jonathan Birdwell; Caterina Froio (2012). Populism in Europe: CasaPound (PDF). Demos.
  43. ^ "CasaPound mette alla porta i militanti che non rifiutano antisemitismo e razzismo". FascinAzione. 24 January 2013.
  44. ^ "Casapound, l'intervista a Gianluca Iannone: "Il nostro nemico comune è questa Unione Europea"". Libero. 21 October 2014.
  45. ^ Daniele Di Nunzio; Emanuele Toscano (2011). Dentro e fuori CasaPound: capire il fascismo del terzo millennio. Armando Editore. ISBN 9788860819260.
  46. ^ Antonella Grippo; Giovanni Fasanella (2009). L'orda nera. Bur. ISBN 9788858650455.
  47. ^ Luca Facchini; Alberto Gianera (2 July 2011). "Una nuova destra, giovane e confusa". QuestoTrentino.
  48. ^ "Saremo pure antisionisti ma non spediamo teste di maiale". Il Tempo. 29 January 2014.
  49. ^ Corrado Zunino (20 September 2015). "Roma, la strana coppia Hezbollah-Casapound insieme al convegno". la Repubblica.
  50. ^ Pedro Zúquete, José (2018). The Identitarians. "We are not racists, we are not anti-Semitic, we do not have problems with Israel," said Simone Di Stefano, CasaPound's vice president, when its then-political ally Matteo Salvini was denied entry into Israel on the purported basis of his CasaPound connection.
  51. ^ "Israele-migranti, per Di Stefano (CasaPound): "E' colpa delle Ong"". Lo Speciale. 3 April 2018.
  52. ^ Kenes, Bulent (18 June 2021). "CasaPound Italy: The Sui Generis Fascists of the New Millennium" (PDF). ECPS Organisation Profile Series. 5 (1). European Center for Populism Studies: 31.
  53. ^ Berizzi, Paolo (10 October 2023). "Da Forza Nuova a Do.Ra, i neofascisti si schierano con i terroristi: "Hamas vuole una Palestina come la Svizzera"" [From Forza Nuova to Do.Ra, neo-fascists side with terrorists: 'Hamas wants a Palestine like Switzerland']. la Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  54. ^ "CasaPound, l'orgoglio di Di Stefano: "Siamo fascisti, ammiro Putin"". Libero. 16 November 2017.
  55. ^ "Misanthropic Division". FOIA Research.
  56. ^ Stefanini, Maurizio. "Il tormento della destra italiana, divisa tra i pro e i contro Putin" [The torment of the Italian right, divided between pro- and anti-Putin]. Linkiesta (in Italian).
  57. ^ "Questa volta il derby nero si gioca sulla guerra: CasaPound è per l'Ucraina, Forza Nuova per la Russia" [This time the black derby is about war: CasaPound is for Ukraine, Forza Nuova is for Russia]. HuffPost Italia (in Italian). 1 March 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  58. ^ "Solidarité Identites". Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  59. ^ a b (in German) Giulia Basile, "Mussolinis Enkel. "Casa Pounds" rechte Jugendzentren in Italien," 3sat.de (07.03.2011). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  60. ^ Гнетий, Всеволод (16 February 2011). "Муссолини вместо Берлускони?". Радио Свобода.
  61. ^ (in Italian) Spadaccino Maria Rosaria, "Nicolai Lilin: «Andare a CasaPound è un dovere»," Corriere della Sera (10 September 2009). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  62. ^ "++ Carabinieri e Gdf a Roma negli uffici della Consip ++ – L'altroquotidiano.it". www.altroquotidiano.it.
  63. ^ (in Italian) "Morucci a Casapound: folla lo applaude, nemici ma senza discriminazione," Archived 16 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine L'Unita (6 February 2009). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  64. ^ (in Italian) Ilaria Misantoni, "CasaPound incontra la comunità cinese," (20 December 2011). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  65. ^ "Mutuo Sociale". www.mutuosociale.org.
  66. ^ "Sito ufficiale della Regione Lazio - Home Page". www.regione.lazio.it. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  67. ^ (in Italian) " Amministrative: CasaPound, Cinque Consiglieri Eletti," Archived 16 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine agenparl.it (19 May 2011). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  68. ^ Koch (2013), S. 59.
  69. ^ Koch (2013), S. 63.
  70. ^ Koch (2013), S. 61.
  71. ^ Koch (2013), S. 62.
  72. ^ Koch (2013), S. 64.
  73. ^ (in Italian) Giuseppe Berretta, "Interrogazione Parlamentare PD contro il Blocco Studentesco" (21 April 2010).
  74. ^ "La Palestina non è "roba" da compagni: l'azione a Roma che fa saltare gli schemi". Il Primato Nazionale.
  75. ^ (in Italian) "CasaPound Italia: in 1.500 alla festa nazionale" (21 September 2011). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  76. ^ "City of Helsinki rented space to neo-Nazi group," YLE News (31 October 2011). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  77. ^ (in Finnish) Mikael Brunila, "Ei ole yhtä äärioikeistoa - keitä Suomen vastarintaliike kutsui Helsinkiin?," Suomen Kuvalehti (21 October 2011; uptaded: 29 November 2013). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  78. ^ "Supo looks into possible Finnish connection to Florence shooter," YLE (15 December 2011). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  79. ^ Tom Kingtom, "Ezra Pound's daughter fights to wrest the renegade poet's legacy from fascists," The Observer (14 January 2012). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
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