Populism in Europe: Lega Nord

Of all populist movements in Europe, Italy’s Lega Nord can perhaps lay claim to the greatest political success. The party has been in government three times, including for eight of the last 11 years, and has held several key ministries in coalition govern¬ments led by Silvio Berlusconi. It is a party with a clear ideology, emphasising tough limits on immigration, greater northern autonomy, and characterising Muslims and Islam as representing a fundamental threat to the values and cul¬tural integrity of northern Italians. This report presents the results of a survey of Facebook fans of the Lega Nord. It includes data on who they are, what they think, and what motivates them to shift from virtual to real-world activism. It also compares them to supporters of similar parties in Western Europe, shedding light on their growing online support, and the relationship between online and offline activities.-- Acknowledgments -- A note on terminology -- Executive summary -- Background -- Who are the Lega Nord’s Facebook supporters? -- Social and political concerns -- Why do people support the Lega Nord online? -- Annex: methodology -- Notes -- Reference