Psychological and ideological determinants of sentiments towards fascism in contemporary Italy

• Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
• EGPP: European Governance and Politics Programme

Join Carlos Meléndez and Lisa Zanotti as they present their research on the psychological, ideological, and attitudinal drivers of authoritarian support in Italy.

Amidst the growing complexity of radical right ideologies in Western Europe, this study explores the determinants of favourable views on fascism in the context of the 2022 Italian parliamentary election. By distinguishing between instrumental (evaluations of fascism’s historical impact) and affective (emotional admiration and closeness) dimensions of fascist support, the research provides understanding of the psychological, ideological, and attitudinal factors driving these sentiments. The study examines whether voters of right-wing coalitions are more inclined towards fascist beliefs compared to other political groups. It then identifies key predictors of fascist inclinations, utilising latent and observed variables to analyse individual-level support.

The findings reveal that authoritarianism and social dominance orientation (SDO) are positively associated with instrumental and affective fascist sentiments, while securitarianism significantly predicts affective closeness to fascism. Conversely, democratic preferences act as a robust deterrent to fascist support, with individuals favouring democracy being less likely to endorse fascist ideologies.