Rome military prosecutors probe soldiers in Roberto Vannacci's far-right party

Investigation into military personnel

The Rome Military Prosecutor's Office, led by Marco De Paolis, opened preliminary checks on 3 September 2026 into members of the Italian armed forces participating in Futuro Nazionale. The inquiry followed a legal complaint filed on 2 September 2026 by the Italian Military Union. The union asked prosecutors to examine whether serving military personnel in the party violated military penal codes or Italy's 1952 Scelba Law, which bans the reconstitution of the Fascist Party. The prosecutor's office stated that its inquiries focus on individuals subject to military jurisdiction.

The act filed is not a simple administrative report nor a union criticism of a disciplinary nature: it is a formal complaint in every respect, in which the Military Prosecutor is expressly requested to evaluate, pursuant to Article 335 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the registration of a crime report against the individuals identified in the act and any other military personnel who turn out to be involved following the investigative checks.

Scope of military jurisdiction

Under Article 103 of the Italian Constitution, military prosecutors in peacetime possess jurisdiction strictly over military crimes committed by members of the armed forces. General allegations under the Scelba Law, which carries prison sentences of up to 12 years for reconstituting fascist organizations, fall under civilian courts. The union complaint specifically named party president Roberto Vannacci, national coordinator Massimiliano Simoni, and program head Lorenzo Gasperini. Military prosecutors noted that preliminary checks also considered reporting from foreign news outlets, including a Financial Times report on a European Council on Foreign Relations analysis that described Vannacci as a channel for Russian influence.

The activity of the military prosecutor's office concerns the position of members of the Armed Forces within the organizational structure of Futuro Nazionale.

Rise of Futuro Nazionale

Futuro Nazionale was founded by Vannacci, a retired paratroop general who previously served tours in Afghanistan and Iraq before winning election as a Member of the European Parliament. National opinion polls measure party support between 7% and 8%, placing the movement ahead of traditional right-wing parties including Lega and Forza Italia. The party platform calls for remigration of immigrants who fail to assimilate, financial payments to increase birth rates, restrictions on abortion, and the introduction of military training into schools. The platform also proposes banning gender theory in educational institutions, allowing employment for 14-year-olds, prohibiting LGBT television broadcasts before 23:00, and establishing rapprochement with Moscow following the conclusion of the war in Ukraine.

Coalitions and political calendar

On 2 September 2026, Vannacci stated that Futuro Nazionale shares an affinity with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party, indicating support for an eventual presidential bid by Meloni. While not currently part of the governing coalition, the party is viewed by political strategists as a potential partner after the 2027 general election. An electoral reform already passed by the Chamber of Deputies and pending in the Senate provides bonus parliamentary seats to any coalition capturing more than 42% of the vote. On 4 September 2026, Meloni becomes the head of Italy's longest-lasting single government, surpassing the record previously established by Silvio Berlusconi.