Sophia Perry

Mr. O’Grady

Contemporary World Issues

11-15-18

“The Most Feared Man in Europe” Article Summery

What is the difference between nationalism and patriotism and where is the line drawn

between good nationalism and bad nationalism? Throughout time there have been many leaders

who have been considered to be power hungry and or felt that something was unfair and decided

to take matters into their own hands. Such individuals include Adolf Hitler (head of the German

Nazi reform), Benito Mussolini (dictator if Italy in the early twentieth century), and Saddam

Hussein (President of Iraq in the late twentieth century). As of recent times, Mattro Salvini, the

current Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister of Italy, is the new crazy radical leader of

the day. Salvini is now considered to be “the most feared man in Europe”1 (Walt 3).

Salvini belongs to the League political party, which is a very-right wing party, and was

elected as of this year. Salvini’s main goal is “to remake the E.U. for nationalists” (Walt 3).

What this means is that Salvini feels as though Italy is being taken advantage of in the grand

scheme of the E.U. and wants to level the playing field. Nationalism can be a good or a bad

thing, but in this case it is bad and is represented by an extreme patriotic feeling or principle,

especially marked by a feeling of superiority over another country. In an article written by

Vivienne Walt, who writes for TIME magazine, it was said that Salvini created a new slogan

which is spreading through Italy like wild fire; “Italians first” (Walt 36). This new set of mind

for the Italians is very dangerous because there is only a small step from “Italians first” to

“Christians first” or “people of a certain color first”. This kind of thinking, in part, was the

“Why Italy's Matteo Salvini Is the Most Feared Man in Europe” written by Vivienne Walt. September 24 2018.
reason the Second World War was fought. In that war there was a nationalist who was looking

for someone to blame for their problems. It is no different in this instance. Salvini is blaming the

number of refugees they are harboring as the reason for the debt filled economy, growing

unemployment rate, and slow growth of the nation. Salvini’s overall goal is to dismantle the E.U.

and change it so that Italy and its other nationalist allies have more power and he is willing to go

to great lengths in order to achieve his goal.

Salvini wants to send pretty much all of the refugees that have come into Italy out. He

also wants to close off the borders to refugees. Salvini is now refusing to permit NGO boats to

come through the Italian port. He has also blocked a charity boat from Germany which held 629

refugees and another boat, this time belonging to the Italian cost-guard, which carried 144

refugees. He has directly stated that if it happens again that he will do the exact same thing and

refuse them. Salvini’s overwhelming refusal to take in the refugees directly violates international

maritime law, which states that the first country any refugees come to is obligated to take them

in. Naturally, Salvini does not care and almost laughs when he is reminded of this. The two

greatest and most notable powers that are against Salvini are German chancellor, Angelika

Merkel, and Emmanuel Macron, current president of France. Salvini has it out against these two

because he believes that they are the biggest powers in the E.U. and are controlling and

manipulating the refugee crisis so that they get fewer refugees and Italy gets more. Likewise,

because they are the biggest powers in the E.U., Salvini feels that he needs to strike there first to

really incite true change and get all the other countries on board with his plan. On the other hand

the far-right Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, seems to think similarly to Salvini as

Salvini hosted Orban in Salvini’s hometown as recently as this September. This situation has left

the world worried and wondering what will happen.

“Why Italy's Matteo Salvini Is the Most Feared Man in Europe” written by Vivienne Walt. September 24 2018.