Former Italian general launches new right-wing party

A former Italian army general has launched a new political party, posing a direct challenge to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni from the right and injecting uncertainty into the country's conservative bloc ahead of the next general election. Roberto Vannacci, 57, founded his Futuro Nazionale (National Future) party at a packed inaugural congress in Rome over the weekend, where he was greeted by chants of "Generale" from supporters.

Vannacci, who left Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini's League party in February, is positioning his movement as what he calls the "real right." He accused Meloni of failing to implement shared conservative priorities and has ruled out a political alliance for now. His platform centers on hardline immigration policies, including a call for "remigration" to drastically reduce the foreign-born population, opposition to European Union initiatives like the Green Deal, and criticism of Western sanctions on Russia. The party's program also backs tax incentives for families and a focus on security and defense.

The new party's rise introduces a significant strategic dilemma for Meloni, whose own Brothers of Italy party has roots in post-fascist politics but...