Italian elections could hinge on immigration, far-right backlash

With Italy's general elections scheduled for March 4, issues surrounding migration dominate, with political observers saying the vote could turn on public reaction to a series of gruesome events in the small central Italian town of Macerata.


An anti-immigration backlash swept through Italy following reports that the disembodied body of Pamela Mastropietro, 18, was found Jan. 31 in two suitcases in Macerata days after she left a drug rehabilitation center.

It was not clear whether Mastropietro was killed or died of a drug overdose; however, a Nigerian migrant with a history of drug-dealing was arrested in connection with her death, sparking public anger toward Italy's migration policy.

Three days later, Luca Trani, who stood as a candidate for the far-right Northern League in local elections in Macerata last year, confessed to shooting at Africans in the small town. During a two-hour rampage, Trani injured five men and one woman.

Before his arrest, Trani - with an Italian flag draped over his shoulders - was seen making fascist salutes and shouting far-right slogans, including "Italy for Italians."

More than 600,000 migrants, mostly from Africa, have reached Italian shores in the past four years, sparking a backlash that fueled the rise of Italy's center and far-right.
   (UPI)
 12/2/18