President of European parliament facing calls to resign after praising fascist dictator Mussolini

Antonio Tajani said Mussolini had done ‘positive things’

European parliament president Antonio Tajani (EPA)

The president of the European parliament is facing calls to resign after he praised some of the “positive things” fascist dictator Benito Mussolini had done for Italy.

Antonio Tajani told Italy’s Radio 24 broadcaster the dictator “did positive things” to improve infrastructure in his country until he “declared war against the whole world following Hitler” and “promoted racial laws” against Jews.

Mr Tajani, who made the comments on the popular radio show La Zanzara, said that “one must be objective” about Mussolini’s legacy.

“I’m not a fascist, I have never been a fascist and I don’t share his political thought, but if we must be honest, he built roads, bridges, buildings ... he reclaimed many parts of our Italy,” he said.

The remarks, made on Wednesday evening, prompted widespread criticism from across the European parliament.

Udo Bullmann, leader of the centre-left socialist group, said the comments were “unbelievable”.

“How can a president of the European parliament fail to acknowledge the nature of fascism? We need swift clarification,” he said.

A spokesperson for the parliament’s Left group demanded Tajani’s “immediate resignation”.

“Europe is now facing a tough fight against the extreme right and openly neo-fascist organisations,” the spokesperson said.

“This parliament cannot be represented by a president who tolerates the fascist initiator himself.”

Mr Tajani, who is an MEP from Silvio Berlusconi’s conservative Forza Italia party, responded to his critics on Twitter, stating: “Shame on those who manipulate what I’ve allegedly said on fascism.

“I’ve always been a convinced anti-fascist, I will not allow anyone to suggest otherwise.

“The fascist dictatorship, racial laws and deaths it caused are the darkest page in Italian and European history.”