Curious this. Led by one Umberto Bossi, the nationalistic Northern League – Lega Nord – party has earned something of a reputation for being somewhat xenophobic and racist, but maybe this reputation is not well deserved.
Lega Nord
Lega Nord, which is ‘Northern League’ in English, is an Italian political party, well established in the northern regions of Italy. This party made some gains in recent elections in Italy.
Leader Umberto Bossi is known to be not a great fan of Italy’s recalcitrant, mischievous south. Nor is Bossi’s party too happy about the numbers of illegal immigrants which have invaded Italy. As well as Italy’s south and illegal immigrants, Bossi’s Lega Nord group is not overly happy with that very much southern Italian phenomenon, the mafia, which it seems to regard as something that does not do Italy many favours.
He could be right, for one of the first things which springs to the minds of many non-Italians when Italy comes up in conversation is Italy’s shady criminal organisation.
Bossi’s number two, Roberto Maroni has taken a tough approach to Italy’s mafia problem. And Bossi’s hard line stance on illegal immigration has led to boat people from Africa being turned back, and this and other purportedly anti-immigration stances taken by his Northern League party, combined with the actions of certain other members of the Northern League, have led to accusations that the party is both xenophobic and racist. I have jumped on this boat before, and have dismissed Lega Nord as being a bunch of extreme right wing nationalists, about one bus stop away from fascism. Now though, I’m not so sure.
A winning Northern League candidate in Italy’s combined European and administrative elections was one Sandy Cane. Not the most Italian of names is ‘Sandy’, even if her surname could possibly be read in the same way as the Italian for dog. Instead, Ms Cane’s surname is pronounced in the same way as ‘Kane’, as in the famous citizen.
But it’s not just the fact that Ms Cane does not have an Italian name which may come as a surprise. Oh no.
African American Mayor in Northern Italy
Northern League Leader - Umberto Bossi
What is really surprising is that Umberto Bossi‘s Northern League is party actually fielded a candidate of African American origin. Even more surprising is that Sandy Cane won!
Thus the newly elected mayor of Viggiù, Ms Cane, has become about as close an equivalent to Barack Obama as Italy can get. For those who do not know, which included me, Viggiù is in the province of Varese to the north west of Milan. In other words, right slap bang in the heartland of Northern League territory.
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Sorry, but my claim she is the Italian equivalent of Obama is by no means original. Italy’s papers have already hailed her as such.
Italy’s Lega Nord is Not Racist
This evening Ms Cane was interviewed briefly on the Italian RAI 2 news.
She stated that she supported the Northern League because the party stood for ‘respect for the law’, which is something Italians in general have never been that good at. Then, and this is one thing which really calls into question whether the Northern League are really a racist bunch – she added that she also wants to help crack down on illegal immigration.
The Northern League apparently, and according to Ms Cane herself, ‘welcomed her with open arms’, and she says whoever claims that the Northern League is a racist organisation has got things all wrong.
Sandy Cane also happens to be a fan of Barack Obama, as one might have expected.
Happy in Italy
Happily resident in Viggiù for some 38 years, Sandy Cane was born in Springfield Massachusetts in the USA in 1961. Her father was African-American, with her mother being from Viggiù.
Viggiù’s new Barack Obama intends to help her beloved town to a rosier future through the promotion of tourism and a focus on the area’s rich culture. Sounds good.
Italy’s Lega Nord in a New Light
I am looking at the Northern League with new eyes. Admittedly, I’ve been seeing the Northern League in a new light ever since I heard how hard Northern League member and Italy’s Interior Minister Roberto Maroni, who is also from Varese incidentally, has been clamping down on Italy’s mafia problem (see the final section – Credit to the Berlusconi Government). And he’s been getting excellent results.
Bossi Bosses Silvo Berlusconi Around, sometimes!
Umberto Bossi is also a Berlusconi ally who seems to be able, to an extent, to keep limelight loving Silvio Berlusconi in check.
Although Berlusconi has his faults, and whether you love or hate the man, he does seem to be the most charismatic leader Italy has had in years. Silvio Berlusconi, when he’s not up to his party tricks, is also rather good at keeping his governments in power too. This means that change is happening in Italy, as are some actual reforms. Bossi tends to remind Berlusconi that in amongst the funny little DIY laws, a few genuine reforms might not go amiss.
Some of these changes are for the best, others are not so good. As an example of the not so good, there is an anti-phone tapping bill, which is likely to go through the Italian parliament tomorrow. Such legislation may help certain Italians from having to bother so much with annoying things like transparency, meaning that corruption may grow unchecked in Italy. Bossi, one imagines, is probably not overly happy with such legislation, seeing as his party stands for respecting laws.
Northern League plus Italian Values?
Here is a mischievous suggestion. Would the Northern League leader, Umberto Bossi, consider getting together with the leader of Italy’s other reform minded party, Antonio Di Pietro of the Italian Values party? Probably not, even if by combining forces, these two parties might make a real, positive difference to Italy.
Further reading:
A Viggiù (Varese) eletto sindaco della Lega di colore – Elected at Viggiù (Varese) a coloured Northern League Mayor – Il Sole 24 ORE – in Italian
Sandy Cane: Italy’s First Black Mayor Belongs To Anti-Immigration Party – An article about the same subject on Huffington Post. Sandy Cane is attracting some worldwide attention.
About Alex Roe
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Sandy Cane has to demonstrate something more than a colored skin to be anybody’s Barack Obama! Tell me you do not think that that is Obama’s overriding identification.
I think she has lost her mind to ally herself with LN before they rid themselves of the skinheads who have so publicly fought their fights for them in some circumstances. I will take another look when they come up with some policies FOR action and not against people. Does anyone like organized crime except organized crime? The problem seems more what to do about it rather than to just not like it. What does Bossi say to do about it?
Lega Nord is in my experience against things. I have never heard what they are for except sawing off and ever increasing length of the boot and letting it drift off to bump into Africa where they seem to believe most of the population belongs.
With all its problems there is more culture in the south than in the Veneto, which seems carefully pruned to Disneyfied appeal to a tourist base.
I immediately found myself leery toward a political party that had the power to make all their men wear green ties or green handkerchiefs. That’s so 1980s. It’s also just one step above a brown shirt.
Hi Judith,
“Tell me you do not think that that is Obama’s overriding identification.”
I don’t, but the simple fact that America has voted in a coloured president is a big plus in my little book. He gives of an air of confidence, inspires respect and should raise America image to more positive levels worldwide.
Are the skinheads LN or were they from that other more openly fascist bunch, whose name escapes me?
I don’t know if Cane has lost her mind, but the fact that she even got in with the LN crowd is a surprise in itself, is it not? I like to give people the benefit of the doubt – when they do something which merits it.
Bossi, or rather Maroni, who is a Bossi man is doing something to clamp down on the mafia.
“Lega Nord is in my experience against things.” Yes and no. Have a look here:
http://www.leganord.org/elezioni/2008/lega/
Some of LN’s ideas are actually rather sensible.
And I believe that federalism may not be such a bad idea for Italy – if it is implemented carefully.
Like you though, I’m not sure about the Green Ties thing!
While I’m not exactly a fan of LN, I’m going to try and see if there is something good for Italy behind the rhetoric. This is Italy, you never know!
Greetings from Padania!
Alex
PS I have not bought a green tie yet!
I went. I see what they think but not what to do about very large questions.
Illegal immigration is a problem especially in bad times when people are hungry. Once it was Italians and they spread around the world. Some were turned back because hunger and destitution had taken too much of them and they were thought to be potential burdens to society. But millions relocated, most had no legal standing at all. They sent money back to the old country and they paid for more to follow them.
Most of them were decent people who are a prized part of their adopted countries now, but most of them were considered scum for a while. And some of them carried organized crime into countries where it had not existed.
The Lega Nord has a very short memory. It doesn’t even stretch back to the early 1900s when Italy was trying very hard to rape and despoil African countries, Albania… trying to get their share of empire before the bigger boys took it all. All this was happening at the same time that Italian kids had rickets, starved, lived on bread made of chestnut flour… and that’s just in Padania.
You are right, Judith. LN is ignoring that Italians were immigrants, and that there presence was not always appreciated. And as you say, Italians did not always bring benefits to the countries they landed in.
But I think their beef is with illegal immigrants, not so much the legal ones.
As for Italy raping and despoiling other countries, well, Italy is not alone in this. My homeland the UK did some dark things, and was involved in drug trading in years past. The occupation of America did not do a fat lot for its indigenous population either. I think those times are past to an extent.
And we are talking about Italy, which, from what I’ve seen, seems to be more tolerant of foreigners than perhaps the UK has been. I think Sandy Cane’s election is some proof of this. Can you imagine a Jewish mayor elected to power back in Nazi times in Germany? I can’t.
Even Italian fascism was not quite as hard line as the German flavour, and Italian communism would appear to be rather watered down when compared to what the likes of Stalin got up to.
LN may come across as being extremist, but Italian extremism is not quite the same as in some other countries. Yes, there have been some notable exceptions, the red brigades, for example. But Italy is not, by and large, a violent country, and, aside from the mafia, does not have anywhere near the same crime problem as the USA. There is nothing wrong with Italy trying to avoid the mess that some areas of the US is in.
“All this was happening at the same time that Italian kids had rickets, starved, lived on bread made of chestnut flour… and that’s just in Padania.”
Yes, and this means Italy, and Padania, has made a lot of progress. As I wrote, a combination of the Italian Values party and LN, might help Italy move forwards positively.
As I’ve said before, Italy, with the right will, could go from being a pretty good place to live into becoming one of the best places to live, and holiday, in the world.
I’m glad you had a look at the LN stuff. It was nowhere near as extreme as I was expecting, I have to say.
Hope springs eternal!
All the best,
Alex
Hi Alex,
I’m an italian, who loves his country and thinks that as every countries out there, also Italy has either its dark sides and its good ones (as I’m sure you already know).
I’m not going to judge anything of what you wrote, as I think that anyone has the right to have his own point of view, which of course raises from his own experiences and knowledge.
So that, i’m going to tell what I think about LN and Sandy Cane.
I’m from the south of Italy, from Calabria precisely, and I live in the northern city of Padova, which is in the middle of what you use to call ‘Padania’ (which is, btw, a complete invention of the LN party, as no real geographic area in Italy is called like that, as you probably already know).
Living in the north, allowed me to go and see with my eyes what LN really tells people: “Terroni fuori dai coglioni” (rednecks off our balls), “Roma ladrona” (Rome big thief), “Negri bastardi” (bastard niggers), and much more and much worse, as these are just examples.
And, of course they do it, cause people who listen to this want to hear exactly this. There’s an uproaring discontent here in Italy, mostly because of the bad management our country has, but they’re really good at making people believe and think that the problems are others (among them, as written, rednecks, Rome, niggers, etc), and I’m sure that even Sandy Cane is aware of that.
Don’t get me wrong, though. I’ve lived here for 25 years, and some of my good friends are LN voters, which means they’re not stupid nor that they say ALWAYS wrong things, but my point is that the LN is built on top of racist ideas, as the core supporters want to hear that. Believe it or not. Again, don’t get me wrong: those people are not bad, they just got frustrated by years and years of criminal management we have had in Italy so far, so their patience is over, and they have no half size anymore. And, believe me, it’s understandable, living here.
I think that the Sandy Cane’s situation is just a nice way to show other people (and other parties) that they’re not as bad, and that they work for democracy. Which is probably true, but from a point of view which, for me, is dangerous. And an example of this are the Green shirts which exist for real. The thing that you don’t have a green tie it doesn’t lower the risk of such a para-militar private organization means. Someone says that they’re harmless, like it was something just folkloristic. Probably it is, but who really knows? They used to say the same thing for the black shirts in the first ’20s.
What i mean, though, is that everything which says or anyone who says to work for democracy or equality but uses strong racist and violent words is, at least, dangerous and not very reliable for pursuing those values.
Even if he’s got a black skin, and comes from Africa.
Just remember that Nazi, during the jewish’ deportations used to use other collaborating jewish as their lieutenants. We’re not, of course, at this point of danger, but, as you said, we’re in Italy: you never know.
Thanks for your posts, though. I found them always a good perspective from which look at Italy from a foreigner point of view.
Francesco
Ps.: sorry for my not very well english.
Many thanks for the Italian perspective, Francesco.
“I’ve lived here for 25 years, and some of my good friends are LN voters, which means they’re not stupid nor that they say ALWAYS wrong things, but my point is that the LN is built on top of racist ideas, as the core supporters want to hear that. Believe it or not. Again, don’t get me wrong: those people are not bad, they just got frustrated by years and years of criminal management we have had in Italy so far, so their patience is over, and they have no half size anymore. And, believe me, it’s understandable, living here.”
This is my understanding of LN – which was founded on the grounds that you mentioned. I get the impression that some LN people are racist, but not all.
And I agree, the green shirts thing is worrying, and inevitably attracts comparisons to fascism. Whether LN is really a bunch of covert fascists is unclear, although some may be, but not necessarily all.
“Just remember that Nazi, during the Jewish’ deportations used to use other collaborating jewish as their lieutenants.” – Yes, there is this aspect too.
But then being unscrupulous is something which individuals of many colours, creeds and nationalities have always been guilty of.
Glad you find my perspective interesting – and I always welcome the Italian point of view, even if I know it is not always easy for Italians to give it in English.
All the best,
Alex
PS I wish I could write as well in Italian as you do in English
Anch’io…
It said my comment was too short! Since when is all you’ve got to say too little?
Yes, Fransceso writes very well in English.
“It said my comment was too short!”
Ah, that be my anti-spam beastie. Got sharp teeth has the little monster! Very efficient too.
Cheers,
Alex
Very interesting debate. I’ve been living in the Milan area for over 13 years (plus my in-laws are Leghisti!) and I must say that I agree with Francesco’s observations. By having Sandy Cane as a candidate, Lega is showing how open-minded they are when that really isn’t the case. All the hard-core supporters that go to Pontida for their pseudo-Celtic, delusions-of-Braveheart-grandeur rallies do NOT accept visible minorities.
Bossi and his Lega Nord gang are very cunning politicians and are able to work things to their advantage. They spout slogans like “Roma Ladrona” to get those hard-core voters yet have many MPs enjoying the perks of Roman life, life pensions and the like. Lega Nord is successful because they appeal to many levels, from the moderate disgruntled small businessman to the racist hicks who’ve probably never left their villages. There are politicians like Minister Maroni and there are idiots like Borghezio who enjoy spraying disinfectant on Africans http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgRuqfTzTtw
Has Mayor Cane ever seen that clip? Is Lega really just against illegal immigration? And what about those “ronda” vigilante groups that they want to set up? Unfortunately, the reason behind their success is by preying on people’s basest instincts, their most irrational fears instead of favouring integration, which is the only way to go in this day and age. Immigration is inevitable and Italy has to grow up and accept it.
Hi milanese masala,
The LN are a wily bunch. And they are a mixed bag – racists along with moderates. It is almost as if they are having a go at being all things to all men, and women (did you see the tee-shirt at the recent rally?!).
This is a tactic, and LN does need a huge amount of support to do what it wants to do. Sandy Cane’s election is still strange, and there must be some in LN who are not happy to have a ‘black’ person (and not 100% Italian) amongst their ranks. Perhaps this a move on the part of LN to get rid of their racist side, though I doubt it.
What do your Leghisti in-laws think about Cane’s election? It would be interesting to hear what some LN people think. However, as LN is a mixed bunch, there will be some who don’t mind that she has been elected, whereas others, such as Borghezio, may not be too content.
It does not look as though Cane’s election is fracturing LN! At least not so far.
The ‘ronde’ – patrols thing is not a great idea, in that really there should be no need for these extras. Italy has got two police forces! If the police are lacking in manpower, then more should be taken on. It’s as simple as that. That the ‘ronde’ are even being considered is, in my opinion, tantamount to Italy’s politicians admitting that they cannot protect Italy’s citizens. But if the government is not prepared to do anything, which is what LN argues, then ‘people should do it for themselves’, which is again LN’s point of view.
It would be interesting to hear Cane makes of the ronde, but I imagine she agrees with the idea – people in Italy want to feel safe and if the government cannot achieve this for whatever reason, then initiatives like this are to be expected.
There are other aspects, such as Italy’s lenient legal system – the reputation of which has spread throughout Europe, and criminals flock here because they know that even if they do end up in prison, it will not be for long. Things such as this can help one understand LN’s point of view.
As for immigration, it’s inevitable, as you point out. Italy does have to learn to deal with this, and manage it better.
Thanks for commenting.
Best regards,
Alex