‘Us v. Them’: the Strategic Use of Religion in Far-right Parties

The Contradictory Use of Religion in Salvini’s Lega Nord

It has been widely agreed by researchers that Matteo Salvini has greatly influenced the Lega Nord party during his mandate as party's secretary. In the past, Lega Nord used to focus its hatred rhetoric on Southern Italians. Now, especially after the migration crisis, the party has found its new enemies: immigrants, particularly if they are Muslim.  The perfect background for such a rhetoric Indeed, the migration crisis that started in 2013 heavily influenced the political rhetoric of far-right parties in Italy, as they started emphasising their anti-migration stances more than ever. The crisis was perceived as a problem throughout the...