Silvio Berlusconi and Matteo Salvini lead tens of thousands of protesters for far-right ‘Italian pride’ rally

Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Rome on Saturday for a so-called “Italian Pride” rally that brought together the right-wing League of Matteo Salvini, the far-right Brothers of Italy party led by Giorgia Meloni and former premier Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia.

Salvini’s League, which remains Italy’s largest party despite its leader’s failed bid for the premiership, called for the mass demonstration to protest against the government forged by two former arch-enemies, the centre-left Democrats and the 5-Star Movement, to avoid a snap election following the crisis triggered by Salvini.

Amid waving national flags and “Salvini Premier” banners, the right-wing alliance staged an uneasy show of unity, downplaying internal frictions among the strongman Salvini, the fading Berlusconi and the far-right star Meloni, who is imposing herself on Italy’s political scene as the country shifts further to the right.

The dominant roles of Salvini and Meloni in the right-wing alliance, which likely will run at the next general elections, became evident as Berlusconi – once the popular kingmaker of Italian politics – was booed by dozens of demonstrators, openly impatient to see their “Captain” Salvini take the stage.

In a clear sign of the shifting balance of power within the rightist coalition, the energetic Meloni was able to inflame the crowd with a speech focused on Italian identity, “traditional” family values and old-style patriotism.