Caio Mussolini is running for a seat in the European Parliament
The great-grandson of Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini has defended his great-grandfather's legacy, saying the era was "a very complicated and complex period."
“You cannot define it in terms of right or wrong, good or bad,” he told reporters present. Caio is running for a seat in the European Parliament.
While the young Mussolini avoided explicit references to fascist ideology in the past, he has repeatedly hinted that he sees his great-grandfather — who ruled Italy from 1925 to 1945 — as an inspiration. Mussolini remains popular with many Italians today, who say he modernized the country before damaging its reputation with racist laws and an alliance with Adolf Hitler.
Although he acknowledged that the anti-Jewish laws of 1938 were “a mistake” and “a shame,” the young Mussolini said the fascist period also left its positive mark on Italy, including its infrastructure and road network. And although it is still a crime to defend fascism in Italy, he said the current ban on the fascist salute should be extended to the raised fist of communists, reported the The Times of Israel.
In a recent interview with Corriere della Sera, Caio Mussolini stated that he is not a fascist, but on April 16 he was scheduled to give a talk on fascist doctrine at an event in Padua. The lecture was canceled at the last minute, shortly after the press reported that he would be the guest of honor.
In addition to his time in the Italian navy, he was also the Middle East representative for the country's largest defense company before entering politics. “My experience gives me a background in international relations,” he told The Times of London.
The young Mussolini's political debut sparked protests last month and culminated in Facebook taking down his profile. If he wins, he would be the third descendant of the Italian dictator to hold public office.
Rachele Mussolini, 44, granddaughter of Il Duce, is a member of the city council of Roma. Her half-sister, Alessandra Mussolini, 52, is a European Union lawmaker for Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party.
Defender of her grandfather, Alessandra Mussolini was recently involved in a Twitter fight with actor Jim Carrey, who tweeted a drawing of the dictator's lynched corpse.
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