The Straits Times World News
· collected 2026-09-05 · by The Straits Times
Italian far-right politician Roberto Vannacci spoke at a business summit in Cernobbio, Italy, calling for the European Union to halt political integration and defend its cultural identity instead. Vannacci's party, Futuro Nazionale, has become the fourth-most-popular force in Italy just seven months after its launch. Former Prime Minister Mario Monti criticized Vannacci's "fascist rhetoric" and warned against his proposals, which include abolishing same-sex civil unions and expelling immigrants who fail to assimilate. The summit also featured speeches from RN leader Jordan Bardella, who advocated for a more nationalist approach to the EU.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
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Leaning score +0.85 for article 5061 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-09-06
Italy's far-right Vannacci lashes EU in business summit address
CERNOBBIO, Italy, Sept 5 -
asserted
Vannacci → lash → address
Italy's rising far-right politician Roberto Vannacci told a high profile business forum on Saturday that the European Union should halt political integration and start defending its cultural identity instead, prompting former Prime Minister Mario Monti to warn against his "fascist rhetoric."
asserted
Union → rise → rhetoric
Vannacci, a former general whose Futuro Nazionale (National Future) party has become Italy's fourth-most-popular force just seven months after its launch, was debating with Monti on the topic of EU integration at the gathering of managers and entrepreneurs.
asserted
party → become → managers
Calling for the EU to slash red tape, he told the annual TEHA Ambrosetti conference on the shores of Lake Como that the 27-nation bloc should become "a platform of collaboration, not coercion."
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bloc → call → collaboration
Vannacci said right-wing forces like his own were the future of Europe, looking forward to an election on Sunday in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt where Alternative for Germany (AfD) is hoping to win power for the first time, and citing the strength of Rassemblement National (RN) in France.
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Alternative → say → France
Speaking at the same conference, RN leader Jordan Bardella said he was in favour of "changing everything without destroying anything" in the EU, to build "a Europe of growth and a Europe of borders."
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he → speak → borders
Vannacci, whose proposals include abolishing Italy's same-sex "civil unions" and expelling immigrants who fail to assimilate "the values of our civilisation," is siphoning support from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition as she seeks a new mandate at elections expected next year.
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she → include → elections
Europe should stop producing rules that hobble economic initiative and instead defend its "culture and civilisation," Vannacci said.
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Vannacci → stop → culture
Business can only flourish in "a cohesive society," he said, in which "a spirit of sacrifice and a sense of belonging push citizens to work harder and take risks every day."
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spirit → flourish → risks
Monti, 83, a two-times EU Commissioner who led Italy during an acute 2011-12 debt crisis, said Vannacci may be in government one day but he was "terrified" by the prospect of his party stoking Italians' feelings of dissatisfaction and resentment like wartime dictator Benito Mussolini did.
uncertain
Mussolini → lead → dissatisfaction
"Old as I am, if this were to pass I'd devote what's left of my life to stopping it," he said.
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he → pass → it
Vannacci's speech drew polite applause from the audience, which showed warmer appreciation of Monti's remarks.
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which → draw → remarks
Arianna Fontana, a speed-skater who this year became Italy's most decorated Olympian, told Reuters at the business forum she was "almost moved to tears" by the conclusion of Monti's speech, while other guests backed Vannacci's criticism of the EU.
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guests → become → EU
"Many of the things the General said are true," said construction lobbyist Achille Colombo Clerici.
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Clerici → say → things
