After a long debate

Mussolini no longer an honorary citizen of the town of Salò

The picturesque town of Salò has one less controversial honorary citizen.(Bild: SIMON DANNHAUER)

Almost 80 years after the death of Benito Mussolini, the Italian town of Salò on Lake Garda has revoked the fascist dictator's honorary citizenship. After lengthy discussions, the town council voted in the evening with the new majority of the center-left parties. 

In recent times, two such attempts had failed because the right-wing conservative camp had the majority. The small town of 10,000 inhabitants stands for a dark part of Italian history.

The fascist Mussolini came to power in Italy as early as 1922 - more than a decade before the National Socialists under Adolf Hitler succeeded in doing the same in Germany. In May 1924, Salò made him a "cittadino onorario", an honorary citizen. This was also the case in many other Italian municipalities in those years.

In the Italian town of Predappio, where Mussolini's birthplace is located, souvenirs with the dictator's likeness are even sold - "Many enemies, much honor" is written on these mugs.(Bild: APA/AFP)

Puppet regime had its headquarters on Lake Garda
However, the name Salò is still particularly associated with Italian fascism to this day: After his deposition in Rome in 1943, Mussolini presided over a vassal state here, the "Republic of Salò", with Hitler's help in the final years of the Second World War. The "Italian Social Republic" - the official title, "Repubblica Sociale Italiana" - lasted from September 1943 until shortly before the end of the war.

While fleeing to Switzerland, the Hitler ally was shot dead by partisans on Lake Como at the end of April 1945. His body was hanged in Milan. Today, Mussolini is buried in Predappio, his birthplace in northern Italy. The municipality is a frequent meeting place for neo-fascists. Villa Feltrinelli on Lake Garda, where he lived at the time, is now a luxury hotel. Salò, with its elegant lakeside promenade, is also visited by many German tourists, especially in summer.

Fascist salute again and again
There are no exact figures on how many Italian municipalities still have the dictator as an honorary citizen. Before Salò, several other towns had also changed this in recent years. Nevertheless, the memory of the "Duce" (leader) is still alive: The fascist salute, which is actually banned, is repeatedly shown at events, including on the open street and often in soccer stadiums.

A coalition of three right-wing and conservative parties has been in government in Italy since the fall of 2022. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni used to be a member of a post-fascist youth organization. There are still many Mussolini supporters in her Fratelli d'Italia (Brothers of Italy) party today. The President of the Italian Senate, Ignazio La Russa (also from the Fratelli), has a statue of the dictator in his living room.