Indicator history

In Italian political system Lega Nord party (North League) espresses xenophobic discourses and promote an explicit anti-migrants agenda. Born as a federation of separatist movements in the Eighties, the League Nord was motivated, like other secessionist European parties, by the refusal to pay the bill for fiscal transfers to less developed ‘parasitic’ Regions. Firmly established in central government, the Northern League had to reorient the focus of its hostility from Southern Italians towards immigrants and Muslim minorities, who offered convenient targets, being non-voters. Some excessive Northern League behaviours were considered politically dangerous and inappropriate even by their allies. On 15 February 2006 Northern League Minister Calderoli, during an interview on television, showed an underwear T-shirt with Christ scolding Mohamed for his lack of sense humour about Danish cartoons. He was forced to resign, but his career was not hampered by this or similar gestures. In recent years pig’s urine was spread by Northern League militants on grounds assigned to the building of a Muslim cemetery. In 2000, the then Mayor of Treviso, a North-East town, suggested disguising immigrants as leverets to allow hunters to practice their sport.

Source:

G. Zincone, Citizenship Policy Making in Mediterranean EU States: Italy, EUDO Citizenship Observatory, 2010 - http://eudo-citizenship.eu/docs/EUDOcom-Italy.pdf