Salò, Italy: Stripping Mussolini of Honorary Citizenship
In a historic move, the northern Italian town of Salò has revoked the honorary citizenship of Italy’s wartime fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. This decision comes after the local council voted on Wednesday evening, marking the third attempt in the past 20 years.
The motion to strip Mussolini of his honorary title, which was conferred in 1924 during the early years of the fascist regime, was successfully put forward by centre-left councillor Tiberio Evoli. Despite previous unsuccessful attempts, the current centre-left administration managed to secure 12 votes in favor, with three against and one abstention.
Salò, known for being the heart of the Italian Social Republic during the second world war, has had a long history with fascist sympathizers. Every year on 28 October, a group of supporters make a pilgrimage to Salò to commemorate the March on Rome.
However, the revocation of Mussolini’s title was described by the town’s mayor, Francesco Cagnini, as a “unifying moment of sharing, union, and pacification.” He emphasized that the move was not ideological but rather a reaffirmation of the values of freedom and democracy.
Mayor Cagnini reiterated that the decision was not an attempt to erase history but rather to confront it. “We do not erase anything: that page of our history, however dramatic, remains,” he said.
Photo credit: Davide Zanin Photography / Shutterstock.com.
