Last modified: 2021-08-24 by rob raeside
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image by António Martins, 9 January 2000
See also:
Movimento Sociale Italiano, Mussolini nostalgists; I'm not sure if this party
is still active : Tricolor flame burning from a basis with "MSI" lettering on
the central panel of the national flag. Based on Paal Ekran's anti-nazi website www.ekran.no
(no longer available).
Almost identical design as France's Front National.
António Martins, 9 January 2000
If I am correct, the MSI was relooked to form G. Fini's "Allianza Nazionale"
(claiming to be non-fascist and modern) after the death of its
historical leader, a former minister of the Duce. I seem to
remember that A.N. still uses the flame in its logo.
Ivan Sache, 10 January 2000
The referred to "historical leader" was (as far as I
know) Giorgio Almirante. I had no idea of his being a minister in
the Fascist government, however.
Santiago Dotor, 11 January 2000
Almirante (1914-1988) started his career in 1932 as
journalist in the anti-Semitic newspaper "Tevere". He was
appointed Chief of Cabinet of the Minister of Culture in 1944
(during the Italian Social Republic).
He founded the MSI, clearly inspired by the fascist ideology, in
1944 and ruled it until 1950. He was then replaced by Michelini
who tried to move the party towards the Christian Democracy and
the Monarchists. Almirante then ruled the most radical wing of
the party and was involved in violent actions such as the assault
of the University of Roma in 1968. When Michelini died in 1969,
Almirante was called back as secretary of the MSI. He tried to
present himself as the protector of order and freedom against
communism and extreme-right. The fascist symbols were removed in
1970. In 1973, the MSI merged with parts of the Monarchists and
changes his name to MSI - National Right. In the same time,
Almirante motivated by his verbal aggressiveness small terrorist
groups like Ordine Nuovo, Avanguardia Nazionale, Squadre d'Azione
Mussolini, but his direct responsibility in terrorist actions was
never proved. Ordine Nuovo and his leader P. Rauti rallied the
MSI - NR in 1969, but the moderates left in 1976. In the Congress
of Sorrente (December 1987), Almirante resigned but won against
Rauti, and G. Fini was elected.
Source: Obituary in Encyclopaedia Universalis
(Universalia 1989).
Therefore, as I said in my previous message, Fini's Allianze
Nazionale was built over the rests of the MSI.
Ivan Sache, 11 January 2000
I worked for two years as international secretary in a French political structure. Even
though this structure was not linked
with the Italian MSI, here is some information:
António Martins was right when he says that Italian-MSI flame
was similar to the French-FN one. Some French books about the
extreme-right party explained that G. Almirante gave to Jean-Marie
Le Pen, MEP and founder of the FN, a sort of copyright to use its
tricolour flame in blue-white-red, when Le Pen created the
FN, in 1972.
Jerome Sterkers, 14 November 2001
Then the relationships between both parties, or rather between
both leaders, turned sour. MSI refused to admit FN in its
supra-national group in European Parliament, and I seem to
remember that Almirante explicitly forbade Le Pen to take part to
his funeral.
Ivan Sache, 14 November 2001
The MSI has renamed itself into AN (National
Alliance - Alleanza Nazionale).
M. Schmöger, 1 August 2002