Pino Rauti | |
|---|---|
 Rauti in 1972 | |
| Secretary of theItalian Social Movement | |
| In office 14 January 1990 – 7 July 1991 | |
| Preceded by | Gianfranco Fini |
| Succeeded by | Gianfranco Fini |
| Member of the European Parliament | |
| In office 25 July 1989 – 19 July 1999 | |
| Constituency | Central Italy |
| Member of theChamber of Deputies | |
| In office 25 May 1972 – 22 April 1992 | |
| Constituency | Rome |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1926-11-19)19 November 1926 |
| Died | 2 November 2012(2012-11-02) (aged 85) Rome, Italy |
| Political party | PFR (1943–1945) MSI (1947–1957) ON (1957–1969) MSI (1969–1995) FT (1995–2002) MIS (2004–2012) |
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) |
| Spouse | Brunella Rauti |
| Children | Isabella Rauti |
| Occupation | Journalist,politician |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Italian Social Republic (1943–1945) |
| Branch/service |  National Republican Guard |
| Years of service | 1943–1945 |
| Rank | Capomanipolo |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Giuseppe Umberto "Pino"Rauti (19 November 1926 – 2 November 2012) was an Italianneo-fascist politician who was a leading figure of theItalian far-right for many years. Involved in active politics since 1948, he was one of founders and for many years the leader of theItalian Social Movement (MSI). He was the main representative of the MSI's radical faction until the party dissolution in 1995.[1]
Rauti was born inCardinale, Calabria. As a youth, Rauti volunteered for theGuardia Nazionale Repubblicana of theItalian Social Republic before briefly going into exile with theSpanish Foreign Legion. Rauti returned to Italy in 1946 and joined theItalian Social Movement (MSI) two years later.[2] He became a leading member of the party and also joined theNew European Order initiative.[3] He became associated withJulius Evola and, along with Enzo Erra, served as editor of his journalImperium.[4] Such was Rauti's support for Evola's philosophy that his own theoretical writings demonstrated so much of his mentor's influences as to be at times plagiarism.[5]
In 1954 he established his own group within the MSI based around theImperium group, theOrdine Nuovo. However Rauti became disillusioned with the MSI, particularly after the party supported the presidency bid ofGiovanni Gronchi and the premiership ofGiuseppe Pella, and so his group split off at the 1956 party conference, with Rauti launching a tirade of abuse at the MSI leadership as he left.[6]
Alongside his political career Rauti was also the subject of a series of allegations linking him to the terror campaigns associated with thestrategy of tension. A notedanti-communist, Rauti sought to use a twin-track approach againstcommunists, with both strands calling for violent action. He supported the old tactic of direct street fights with far left militia groups but also endorsed a process of infiltrating these groups and thus provoking them to more action and more direct confrontation with law enforcement. Rauti hoped that his policy would create an atmosphere of civil unrest that he hoped would be more conducive to aneo-fascist takeover.[7]
Rauti's name cropped up in the inquiry into thePiazza Fontana bombing[8] whilst he had also been named as having attended high-level terrorism planning meetings inPadua in 1969.[9] TheTreviso magistrates brought Rauti to trial in 1972 over possible involvement in the Piazza Fontana attack but ultimately he was acquitted due to a lack of evidence.[10] Rauti was aided in this by being able to provide an alibi for the Padua meeting.[11]
Rauti was known to be close to Mario Merlino and by extension was linked to Merlino's close comradeStefano Delle Chiaie.[12] He also collaborated with formerOrdine Nuovo memberFranco Freda, producing a series of pamphlets with him in the 1960s.[13] Some documents have also claimed that Rauti was either a 'contact' or a paid informer for the head of theServizio Informazioni Difesa, which was itself linked to the strategy of tension.[14] It has also been suggested that he was responsible for setting up theNuclei Armati Rivoluzionari along withGuido Giannettini.[15] However, there was never any concrete evidence to link Rauti to terrorism[citation needed] and he was never convicted of any offences.
Rauti returned to the MSI in 1969 and was given a seat on the Central Committee byGiorgio Almirante. Rauti's move was condemned by Clemente Graziani, who continued to lead a rumpOrdine Nuovo outside the MSI although the two men actually remained close associates.[16] Meanwhile, Rauti was elected to theItalian Chamber of Deputies in 1972.[17]
Rauti's position within the MSI was strengthened in 1977 when the main moderate faction broke away to form a new party,National Democracy. This opened space for a new Evola-based movement to gain power within the party under Rauti and he placed his emphasis on youth by organising Camp Hobbit, a series of events for young party members that were noted for having a much more casual and fun-oriented vibe than previous party youth initiatives.[18] The event was such a success that afterwards the MSI youth movement, theFronte della Gioventù, threw their lot in with Rauti's faction.[19] Meanwhile, his influence continued to grow when he became a leading figure in theEuropean Parliament during the 1980s.[17]
In 1987 Rauti, by then deputy-secretary of the MSI, was one of two candidates seeking to succeedGiorgio Almirante as leader of the MSI, the other beingGianfranco Fini. Continuing to present a policy platform based on the ideas of Evola, Rauti also demonstrated elements ofNouvelle Droite thinking, having been converted toethnopluralism and support fornationalism in the developing world.[17] Fini however, presenting a more moderate platform, secured the leadership by taking 727 votes to Rauti's 608.[20]
Despite his defeat Rauti's position within the party was soon strengthened. Fini looked to the success ofJean-Marie Le Pen and theFront National in France and, seeking to utilise the template they had established, sought to make opposition toimmigration the central policy of the MSI.[20] The move provoked alarm as it seemed that Fini was seeking to abandon fascism altogether and instead turn the MSI topopulism. This radical departure, combined with some poor electoral showings, led to Rauti replacing Fini as leader in 1990.[20]
As leader Rauti sought to underline the party's fascism as being a radical revolutionary creed that, he argued, should not be consideredright-wing. He also underlined his opposition to the United States and Western values as well as his support for ethnopluralism.[21] However the 3.9% of the vote captured at the 1990 regional elections represented the worst return in MSI history and a further slump in support in local elections inSicily saw him removed from the leadership in July 1991 and replaced by Fini.[22]
Rauti remained a hard-line critic of Fini's leadership until 1995 when Fini declared the dissolution of the MSI and the foundation, in its place, of theAlleanza Nazionale. Seeing this a break from thefascist heritage which he felt was central to the MSI, Rauti led a group of militants to break away and form theFiamma Tricolore, which he saw as continuing the path of fascism.[23] Although commentators had expected the party to be a fringe movement it polled surprisingly well in the1996 election and even managed to capture a seat in the European Parliament in the1999 election.[24]
Rauti stood down as leader in 2002 in favour ofLuca Romagnoli, who immediately adopted a policy of seeking to work withSilvio Berlusconi'sHouse of Freedoms coalition.[25] Rauti became a strong critic of the direction taken by Romagnoli leading to him being expelled from the party he had founded in early 2004.[26]
He then established his own party, theSocial Idea Movement.[27]
Rauti died inRome, aged 85.
Besides his career in politics Rauti was also a noted journalist, joining the staff of theRome-based dailyIl Tempo in 1953.[28] He would also act as one of the Italian correspondents for theAginter Press.[29]
His daughterIsabella,senator fromMantua, marriedGianni Alemanno in 1992; Alemanno wasMayor of Rome for one term from 2008 to 2013; he was not re-elected into office.[30]
| Election | House | Constituency | Party | Votes | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Chamber of Deputies | Rome–Viterbo–Latina–Frosinone | MSI | 100,240 |  YElected | |
| 1976 | Chamber of Deputies | Rome–Viterbo–Latina–Frosinone | MSI | 36,167 | YElected | |
| 1979 | Chamber of Deputies | Rome–Viterbo–Latina–Frosinone | MSI | 43,975 | YElected | |
| 1983 | Chamber of Deputies | Rome–Viterbo–Latina–Frosinone | MSI | 46,393 | YElected | |
| 1987 | Chamber of Deputies | Rome–Viterbo–Latina–Frosinone | MSI | 36,237 | YElected | |
| 1989 | European Parliament | Central Italy | MSI | 97,127 | YElected | |
| 1994 | European Parliament | Central Italy | AN | 66,780 | YElected | |
Source:Ministry of the Interior
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| People | |
| Other | |
