Pino Rauti

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 Cardinale,Italy
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 Italian Campaign

Giuseppe Umberto"Pino"Rauti(19 November 1926 – 2 November 2012) was an Italianneo-fascistpolitician who was a leading figure of theItalian far-rightfor 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.

Early years

Rauti was born inCardinale, Calabria.As a youth, Rauti volunteered for theGuardia Nazionale Repubblicanaof theItalian Social Republicbefore briefly going into exile with theSpanish Foreign Legion.Rauti returned to Italy in 1946 and joined theItalian Social Movement(MSI) two years later.He became a leading member of the party and also joined theNew European Orderinitiative.He became associated withJulius Evolaand, along with Enzo Erra, served as editor of his journalImperium.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.

In 1954 he established his own group within the MSI based around theImperiumgroup, theOrdine Nuovo.However Rauti became disillusioned with the MSI, particularly after the party supported the presidency bid ofGiovanni Gronchiand 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.

Terrorism allegations

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-fascisttakeover.

Rauti's name cropped up in the inquiry into thePiazza Fontana bombingwhilst he had also been named as having attended high-level terrorism planning meetings inPaduain 1969.TheTrevisomagistrates 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.Rauti was aided in this by being able to provide an alibi for the Padua meeting.

Rauti was known to be close to Mario Merlino and by extension was linked to Merlino's close comradeStefano Delle Chiaie.He also collaborated with formerOrdine NuovomemberFranco Freda,producing a series of pamphlets with him in the 1960s.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.It has also been suggested that he was responsible for setting up theNuclei Armati Rivoluzionarialong withGuido Giannettini.However, there was never any concrete evidence to link Rauti to terrorismand he was never convicted of any offences.

Return to the MSI

Rauti withGiorgio Almirantein 1969

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 Nuovooutside the MSI although the two men actually remained close associates.Meanwhile, Rauti was elected to theItalian Chamber of Deputiesin 1972.

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.The event was such a success that afterwards the MSI youth movement, theFronte della Gioventù,threw their lot in with Rauti's faction.Meanwhile, his influence continued to grow when he became a leading figure in theEuropean Parliamentduring the 1980s.

In 1987 Rauti, by then deputy-secretary of the MSI, was one of two candidates seeking to succeedGiorgio Almiranteas 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 Droitethinking, having been converted toethnopluralismand support fornationalismin the developing world.Fini however, presenting a more moderate platform, secured the leadership by taking 727 votes to Rauti's 608.

Leadership of MSI

Despite his defeat Rauti's position within the party was soon strengthened. Fini looked to the success ofJean-Marie Le Penand theFront Nationalin France and, seeking to utilise the template they had established, sought to make opposition toimmigrationthe central policy of the MSI.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.

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.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 inSicilysaw him removed from the leadership in July 1991 and replaced by Fini.

Fiamma Tricolore

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 thefascistheritage 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.Although commentators had expected the party to be a fringe movement it polled surprisingly well in the1996 electionand even managed to capture a seat in the European Parliament in the1999 election.

Retirement and comeback

Rauti stood down as leader in 2002 in favour ofLuca Romagnoli,who immediately adopted a policy of seeking to work withSilvio Berlusconi'sHouse of Freedomscoalition.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.

He then established his own party, theSocial Idea Movement.

Rauti died inRome,aged 85.

Personal life

Besides his career in politics Rauti was also a noted journalist, joining the staff of theRome-based dailyIl Tempoin 1953.He would also act as one of the Italian correspondents for theAginter Press.

His daughterIsabella,senatorfromMantua,marriedGianni Alemannoin 1992; Alemanno wasMayor of Romefor one term from 2008 to 2013; he was not re-elected into office.

Electoral history

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

Published works

• Storia d'Italia nei discorsi di Mussolini, 1915-1945,(with Giuseppe Carlucci), 1966
• L'immane conflitto: Mussolini, Roosevelt, Stalin, Churchill, Hitler,1967
• Le mani rosse sulle forze armate,(with Guido Giannettini), 1975
• Le idee che mossero il mondo,ed. Europa, 1980
• Benito Mussolini,ed. Europa, 1989
• Storia del fascismo(with Rutilio Sermonti), in 6 volumi:
  • 1 - Le interpretazioni e le origini, 2003, ed. Controcorrente
  • 2 - Dannunzianesimo, biennio rosso, marcia su Roma, 2004, ed. Controcorrente
  • 3 - La conquista del potere, 2009 ed. Controcorrente
  • 4 - Verso il governo, 1978, Centro editoriale nazionale
  • 5 - L'espansione e l'Asse, 1979, Centro editoriale nazionale
  • 6 - Nel grande conflitto, 1979, Centro editoriale nazionale
• Fascismo e Mezzogiorno,(with Rutilio Sermonti), ed. Europa, 1990

See also

• Radical right (Europe)