Italy's Vannacci gains establishment platform at elite business forum

Italian far-right politician ​Roberto Vannacci will attend a key business forum this week, a ‌sign ​of his growing mainstream acceptance as he climbs the polls on a platform that critics say disparages migrants, women and minority rights.

The TEHA business forum in Cernobbio, on Lake Como, which starts on Friday, is an annual gathering long regardeded as one of Italy's most influential meetings of political, financial ‌and business leaders. Members of seven governments, including the United States, and top European Union officials will gather over the weekend to discuss major political and economic issues. Vannacci, whose Futuro Nazionale (National Future) party has become the country's fourth-most-popular force just seven months after its launch, will join a panel on Saturday on the future of European integration with former Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, a moderate and staunchly pro-European figure.

Dozens of business ‌executives are expected to watch the debate, which has attracted more media attention than any other event on the programme, and Vannacci has vowed to "surprise with common sense." "Italian entrepreneurs need politicians to stop ‌surprising them every day with new taxes, red tape, higher costs, unstable rules and European directives," he told daily Il Foglio on Thursday.

"In Cernobbio, I will make it clear that integration cannot mean submission and sovereignty does not mean isolation," he said. VANNACCI IS A THREAT TO MELONI'S RE-ELECTION HOPES

A former army general, Vannacci shot to fame after publishing a book attacking what he described as the excessive prominence and rights granted to minorities and LGBTQ groups, which he said threatened traditional social structures. His proposals include ⁠abolishing Italy's ​same-sex "civil unions," expelling immigrants who fail to assimilate "the values of our ⁠civilisation," and doubling to 20 years the legal residence requirement to obtain Italian citizenship.

With Italy due to hold elections next year, he represents a major challenge to right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's efforts to retain power. Since he parted ways with the ⁠coalition League party, which helped him secure election to the European parliament, Vannacci has steadily siphoned support from her ruling bloc.

Vannacci's presence at the forum has sparked outrage among opposition parties. Carlo Calenda, leader of the small centrist group ​Azione (Action), said he would boycott the forum and accused Italy's business elite of "chasing after the latest populist to come along". Reuters contacted four top business chiefs due to attend the forum to ⁠ask for their views on Vannacci's appearance. They declined to comment.

Valerio De Molli, chief executive of the TEHA Group, said the forum was a "platform designed to create a space for dialogue and discussion, including among people who hold different views". 'A DANGEROUS MAN'

Vannacci is not ⁠the ​first maverick leader to attend the Cernobbio forum. Gianroberto Casaleggio, the chief strategist behind the creation of the Five Star Movement, took part in 2013, when the party still had a highly confrontational relationship with Italy's business elite. Vannacci, a former military attache in Moscow, strongly opposes sending arms to Ukraine and favours reopening business ties with the Kremlin.

Calenda told broadcaster La7 on Thursday the Futuro Nazionale leader was "a dangerous ⁠man" acting in Russia's interests. The panel featuring Vannacci and Monti will form part of a broader session on Europe that will also include Jordan Bardella, president of France's far-right National Rally party, and will ⁠be open to journalists.

Monti, a life senator, told ⁠Reuters he had no hesitation in accepting the invitation and had explicitly requested that the debate be open to the public, unlike most of the events at the forum. "Both (Vannacci and Bardella) could one day find themselves in government ... the question of the impact on the EU of a stronger presence of nationalist ‌and populist forces is both unavoidable ‌and valuable to foster broader understanding."