Meloni attacks book fair's request publishers sign anti-fascism declaration

Premier Giorgia Meloni has taken

issue with the Più Libri Più Liberi book fair for asking

publishers wanting to take part to sign an anti-fascism

declaration.

"This is how the Left conceives freedom of thought: you are

free, but only if you say what they allow you to say, if you

think what they think, if you read what they consider

appropriate," Meloni, the leader of the right-wing Brothers of

Italy (FdI) party, said via X.

"The cancellation of non-leftist ideas, disguised as an

anti-fascist struggle, is an old vice of the Left, but it is a

story that no one believes in any more.

"It is simply called censorship. And censorship is incompatible

with any democratic society".

Last year the Rome fair for small and medium-sized publishers

was dogged by a major row over the participation of an allegedly

far-right publishing house, Passaggio al Bosco, which led to

some exhibitors and writers pulling out.

The fair said it was not trying to censor participants with its

declaration but was seeking "clarity and unity among the various

stakeholders present at the fair".

But it also expressed sadness at the premier's intervention and

said it warranted reflection.

Opposition politicians, on the other hand, criticised Meloni's

attack on the book fair.

"We didn't hear her get so excited when a section of the right

put up stickers to distinguish Italian shops from those run by

foreigners, or when blacklists were drawn up against professors

considered non-aligned," said Elly Schlein, the leader of the

centre-left Democratic Party (PD).

"Giorgia Meloni swore on the Constitution, and the Constitution

is anti-fascist.

"In guaranteeing freedom of expression, it doesn't consider

Fascism an opinion, it bans it.

"We live in a country that has a Constitution written by those

who fought in the Resistance to free us from the Fascist regime

and Nazi occupation".

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