Steve Bannon to join Matteo Salvini for populist rally in Rome

Today, Steve Bannon, the Trump administration’s former chief strategist, will join Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini in Rome at a rally for the populist Brotherhood of Italy (PdL) party.

Since Mr Bannon left the White House, he has demonstrated support for nationalist, right-wing movements all throughout Europe in pursuit of global populism to minimise immigration, free trade agreements and military interventionism. Specifically in Italy, his work has included closely consulting a right-wing Catholic leadership institute to instil in the church a more politically-oriented societal role.

Expect thousands of nationalist Italians to turn out at the rally, frustrated by a swelling migration crisis that has garnered populist-leaning voters and  strained Italy’s relations with the European Union. A solidified partnership between Mr Bannon and Mr Salvini could pose a nuisance to European allies, especially if formalised political strategies in Italy spread to other budding populist movements throughout the continent. The more support Mr Salvini and his counterparts in populist-trending countries preparing for elections, like Sweden, receive, the more Mr Bannon will be able to galvanise his involvement in the populist movement abroad.

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