A great-grandson of Benito Mussolini has sparked controversy in Italy by defending the legacy of the fascist dictator in a new book, claiming that the regime was “not so bad” and that historical narratives have been unfairly distorted. Caio Mussolini, 57, faced protests that forced the cancellation of book signings in southern towns including Campagna and Sala Consilina, prompting him to decry what he called attacks on his democratic rights. Reporting on the story, the Times UK highlighted the tensions surrounding his book tour, which continues to draw attention across Italy.
“I am writing history, and they are trying to stop me, which is not democratic,” Caio Mussolini told journalists, describing the cancelled events as censorship. The disruptions, however, were described as a “hiccup” in what has otherwise been a successful tour, visiting 40 venues nationwide, many hosted in town halls and with the support of local mayors. The events have underscored the enduring fascination—and controversy—surrounding Mussolini’s legacy in contemporary Italy.
His book, Mussolini and the Rise of Fascism: The Untold Story, seeks to challenge established views of his great-grandfather, portraying him as a leader unfairly demonised in history. Drawing on quotes from figures such as Oscar Wilde, Caio Mussolini said the book aims to “destroy 80 years of lies” about the fascist regime. A former submariner and defence industry executive, he is the grandson of Vittorio Mussolini, the dictator’s son and a film producer.
In interviews, Caio argued that Mussolini’s rise to power in 1922 was a reaction to leftist violence and the threat of a Russian-style revolution. “Violence at the time was coming from the left and fascism was a reaction to that,” he claimed. He further suggested that Mussolini’s treatment of Jews has been mischaracterised. Despite the dictator’s 1938 racial laws, Caio argued that Jews were integrated into public life and that Mussolini even had a Jewish lover, Margherita Sarfatti. He also said that Italy’s fascist government assisted Jewish refugees fleeing Europe in the 1930s, facilitating travel from Trieste to Palestine, although many were later turned away by the British.
Caio Mussolini’s account has been strongly disputed by historians and writers such as Aldo Cazzullo. Writing in 2022, Cazzullo argued in Mussolini the Gang Boss: Why We Should Be Ashamed of Fascism that Mussolini’s regime must be judged by its outcomes, which included the suppression of liberty, economic collapse, and moral complicity with Hitler. “The racial laws were the natural outcome of fascism, in which the idea of races and nations asserting superiority is implicit,” Cazzullo told the Times UK.
Defending his great-grandfather, Caio insisted the laws were “applied softly, the Italian way,” citing that Jewish writer Primo Levi was able to graduate from university in 1941. He placed the blame for later deportations of Italian Jews on the German occupation following Mussolini’s ousting in 1943. Nevertheless, critics say that such arguments ignore the broader consequences of two decades of dictatorship, which ended with Mussolini’s execution by partisans in 1945.
Despite his family’s deep historical and political roots, Caio Mussolini has stated that he has no immediate plans to pursue a political career. Two other descendants, Rachele Mussolini and Alessandra Mussolini, are active in politics, with Rachele serving as a Rome councillor and Alessandra having been a Member of the European Parliament. Caio previously advised Giorgia Meloni’s far-right party, Brothers of Italy, before she became prime minister, but he emphasizes his current focus on writing and “setting the record straight” about fascism.
During interviews, Caio drew comparisons between his great-grandfather and contemporary populist leaders, suggesting that Mussolini would have admired former US President Donald Trump. “Like Mussolini, Trump has his country at heart, and like Mussolini he is fighting the cancer of socialism and exposing corruption,” he said, underscoring the ideological parallels he sees across decades.
The Times UK noted that the book and tour have reopened long-standing debates in Italy over how history should remember Mussolini and the dangers of nostalgia for authoritarian figures. While some mayors and audiences have welcomed the book, the protests in Campagna and Sala Consilina reflect the sensitivity surrounding any attempt to recast the dictator’s legacy. Scholars caution that romanticising or defending Mussolini risks whitewashing the human cost of his dictatorship, including the repression of political opponents and the introduction of racial laws that had devastating consequences.
For now, Caio Mussolini continues his nationwide tour, arguing that his work is a contribution to historical debate rather than a political campaign. Whether Italy’s public will accept his reinterpretation remains uncertain, but his efforts demonstrate that the shadow of fascism continues to provoke discussion and dissent nearly 80 years after the regime’s fall.
