Casapound Italy is a political movement of the far-right and of a neo-fascist and populist matrix, established in 2008 as a social association after the squat of a big building in the city center of Rome, close to main-station Termini.
Further occupations, mobilizations and initiatives, originally limited to Rome and subsequently extended throughout the national territory, soon characterized CPI as a real political movement and later as a party until June 2019, when its President Gianluca Iannone temporarily decreed CasaPound’s political experience as a party ended, returning to being a movement that no longer presents itself to the electoral competitions.
Inspired by its founders’ music band called ‘Zetazeroalfa’, in 2006 CPI set up its own student organization, called the Student Block (Blocco Studentesco).
Since the 2011 administrative elections, CasaPound has presented its candidates in local elections in civic or center-right lists, managing to have some of its representatives elected. From the 2013 elections, on the other hand, he decided to officially present himself with his own autonomous list both nationally and administratively.
Their approach focuses in general in establishing local headquarters, where to carry on xenophobic or nationalist propaganda, even borrowing traditional left-wing campaigns, for example against big lobbies or social marginalization, but always declined in favour of natives only.
At glance these movements adopt camouflage tactics – in names and logos -, hiding any explicit reference to Nazi-fascist background, in order not to be banned in accordance with the Constitution and the so-called “Mancino” law, aimed at avoiding the reorganization of the fascist party (PNF) or its apology.
Into this groove also fit thematic groups, dedicated either to the family, or to wildlife, or even to history, forming the so-called ‘black galaxy’. Apparently without any reference to a Nazi-fascist background, these groups are therefore employed to approach institutions and public funds, pretending to be generic associations.
CPI organization, it is focused on political indoctrination and historical revisionism, campaigning mostly in suburbian areas with a ‘pop’ style very attractive for young people; also involving members for free-time activities, besides propaganda or squad actions. Some wide-spread examples of this are the setup of charity projects dedicated only to Italian natives, or the arrangement of combat sports tournaments like MMA.
CPI gained consensus in the last years and counts on some appointed in local councils, such as in Bolzano, Verona and Ostia.
Despite the increasing propaganda, some criminal episodes – such as the massive murder in Florence, made by one of its members, Gianluca Casseri – mess up the organization.