The Operationalisation of ‘Gender Ideology’ Fears by Parties of the Italian Populist Radical Right

The final speaker in this session at I-POLHYS 2024 is Alessia Donà, whose focus is on the two parties of the populist radical right in Italy, Lega and Fratelli d’Italia. The populist radical right combines the thin ideology of populism with the thick ideology of nativism and nationalism: where populism often simply distinguishes between in- and out-groups, the radical right builds on xenophobia and positions foreigners as threats to the national identity and nation state, and positions authoritarianism as a solution to the problems of society.

This represents a politics of fear, presenting real or imagined threats that can build on conspiracy theories or the perceived agendas of opposing groups. The concept of ‘gender ideology’, developed in the Vatican, is an example of one such perceived threat, and has been used by far-right groups to oppose gender equality and inclusion as well as greater rights for women and nonbinary persons. The two Italian far-right parties have adopted such anti-gender rhetoric, and allied themselves with Italian anti-gender movements. The composition of the current Meloni government makes this evident, with controversial anti-gender activists in critical ministerial positions, and anti-gender groups have openly endorsed its political stance.

This represents a symbolic type of nativism, emphasising a sense of the ‘natural’, heterosexual family, and claiming that the defence of the nation depends on the defence of the family. Various actions of the Meloni government have attempted to convert this to policy, politicising gender, sexuality, and individual rights.