A few weeks ago there were elections in Italy. In the results, again, we do not receive much surprise: the extreme right has gained power under the leadership of a neo-Nazi party (Fratelli d’Italia). Some political information needs to be taken into account, because what happened in Italy is in direct contact with us. Because the rise of fascism is not an exception in Italy, but a near future for the European Union (EU).

The first political element is the increase in abstention: 37% (increased by 10% compared to the last elections). This raises two questions: on the one hand, as we have seen in other European elections, the crisis of the legitimacy of liberal democracy emerges. On the other hand, it makes visible the limits of the “anti-fascist” discourse of Social Democracy (“vote not to see fascism”), which for years served to mobilise voters, but which today is exhausted. We in Europe have seen for years that the Social Democratic governments, which have come to power thanks to the spectre of fascism, carry out the same policies as fascists: savage neoliberalism, war against the poor, the protection of NATO imperialism, anti-immigrant policies – that is, policies in favour of the interests of oligarchy dictated by the EU.

This brings us to the second key: the false dichotomy between “Europeanism” and fascism. To avoid the rise of fascism, we are led to believe that we should “opt for the EU” by protecting “European values”. However, behind this false dichotomy lies a cruel reality: in the current structural crisis, the best representative of “value” and European strategy is fascism itself; for a period of authoritarianism ever closer (austerity, imperialism, war…), Because Europe needs authoritarian instruments and forms. I mean, he needs fascism.

To show that the fascists are adhering to the EU strategy and returning to Italy, we could cite the first steps promised by Giorgia Meloni, President: the agreement on economic policy signed with Mario Draghi, the promise to continue sending arms to Ukraine and the firm commitment to the Atlantic alliance. Therefore, instead of the false dichotomy mentioned above, we must include the dialectical relationship between Europeanism and fascism. Because “new” fascism is the product of the European bourgeoisie (responding to the social explosion after the 2008 crisis), and now it is up to him to carry out his mission: to manage the next crisis, protecting the class interests of the bourgeoisie.

Faced with this, a firm and effective anti-fascist response must be put forward. However, we should be clear that the rise of fascism is not going to be through the electoral circuit, let alone “Europeanist” propaganda. The only vaccine against the virus of fascism is the self-organisation of workers, which will be carried out in the material struggles and in the fight against imperialism, which replaces the new cycle of fighting against the Europe of Capital.