If fascism is what people want, who are we to decide if that's bad?

[Bob Juch]

So says Trey Gowdy.

[Bob Juch]

From the September 26, 2022, edition of Fox News' Special Report with Bret Baier

BRET BAIER (HOST): Let's turn overseas and what's happening in Italy and really across Europe. If you look at the headlines of this Italian election where the far right candidate, Meloni has taken it and will likely become the prime minister there, if you look at the headlines, The Atlantic, "The return of fascism in Italy," "A far right nationalist looks likely to become illustration's first female prime minister, "Giorgia Meloni is a danger to Italy and the rest of Europe," "Giorgia Meloni claims victory to become Italy's most far-right prime minister since Mussolini." Those are the headlines. She campaigned fighting inflation, speaking out against the European Union and bureaucracy. What about the reaction to this, and what it says about where Europe is as we get ready for our own elections?

...

TREY GOWDY: Bret, if you had two hours and could read to the bottom of the New York Times story about her election, you would see that she was historic. But you would have to get through more hard-right and far-right references, and I guess what I'm wondering is if you are winning elections, if you are what the people want, at what point does that become the center? Who gets to say what is far-right, or what is hard-right?

[Spock]

Re-Italy's new Prime Minister

I think she is probably more of a Distributionist in the Chesterton/Belloc mold than she is a Fascist.

All the stuff I have seen from her points more in a Distributionist direction with some Roger Scruton thrown in as well. (Green philosophy) than it does to Fascism.

[jarnon]

In parliamentary governments, the PM doesn't have a great deal of personal power. A lot depends on the parties she includes in her coalition and who gets key ministries.

[silverscreenselect]

In parliamentary governments, the PM doesn't have a great deal of personal power. A lot depends on the parties she includes in her coalition and who gets key ministries.

Meloni's party got 26% of the vote in a low turnout election. She is forming a coalition with more traditional right-wing parties, which may or may not last very long.