Thu Sep 12 10:21:58 UTC 2024: ## Mussolini’s Granddaughter Switches Sides, Joining Forza Italia
Rachele Mussolini, granddaughter of the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, has made a surprising move, leaving the right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to join Forza Italia, the party founded by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
This shift comes amidst a period of internal friction within the right-wing coalition government. The recent declaration by Forza Italia leader Antonio Tajani in favor of the ius scholae citizenship reforms sparked disagreements with FdI and Lega, the other coalition partners.
Rachele Mussolini, elected as a city councilor in 2016 on a civic list supporting Meloni, ran on an FdI ticket in the 2021 election and achieved a landslide victory with 8,200 first preferences.
This move marks a significant departure for Mussolini, who is the daughter of actress Carla Maria Puccini and jazz pianist Romano Mussolini, the youngest son of Benito Mussolini. She is also the half-sister of former far-right politician Alessandra Mussolini, who has recently moved away from her anti-gay rhetoric to become an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.
This change in political affiliation within the Italian political landscape has generated considerable interest, highlighting the ongoing dynamics within the right-wing coalition and the evolving positions of key figures like Rachele Mussolini.
First Piper 