Alessandra Mussolini

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Following her resignation, Mussolini formed her Social Action party, originally named "Freedom of Action", and organized a far right coalition named Social Alternative. That was a surprising move, as Mussolini, during her political career, had always taken progressive stances on many issues, including abortion, [cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1994/agosto/11/Mussolini_macche_omicidio_cosi_criminalizzano_co_0_9408115537.shtml|title=la Mussolini: macche' omicidio cosi' si criminalizzano le donne|accessdate=2008-07-08] artificial insemination, [cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1997/febbraio/04/Embrioni_Mussolini_Melandri_ancora_polemica_co_0_9702048957.shtml|title=Embrioni, da Mussolini a Melandri e' ancora polemica|accessdate=2008-07-08] [cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2004/febbraio/11/Fecondazione_Parlamento_vara_regole_co_9_040211027.shtml|title=Fecondazione, il Parlamento vara le regole|accessdate=2008-07-08] gay rights [cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1995/gennaio/06/Destra_gay_pace_vicina_Alessandra_co_0_9501062501.shtml|title=Destra e gay, pace vicina. Alessandra Mussolini: tra loro ho molti amici|accessdate=2008-07-08 See also: cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1996/febbraio/09/Alessandra_per_una_volta_sono_co_8_9602091092.shtml|title=Alessandra: per una volta sono vicina alla sinistra|accessdate=2008-07-08 and cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1997/febbraio/08/Mussolini_piace_gay_mette_imbarazzo_co_0_9702088459.shtml|title=La Mussolini piace ai gay e mette in imbarazzo An|accessdate=2008-07-08] and civil unions. [cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2003/ottobre/24/Turco_Mussolini_Thelma_Louise_della_co_0_031024128.shtml|title=Turco-Mussolini, Thelma e Louise della politica «Tanta invidia ma andiamo avanti lo stesso»|accessdate=2008-07-08 See also: cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2003/ottobre/21/Raddoppiano_coppie_fatto_Polo_contro_co_0_031021030.shtml|title=Raddoppiano le coppie di fatto Polo contro la proposta Mussolini|accessdate=2008-07-08] She has been an outspoken "feminist" [cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2003/luglio/08/Alessandra_Mussolini_ora_serve_nuovo_co_0_030708057.shtml|title=Alessandra Mussolini: ora serve un nuovo femminismo|accessdate=2008-07-08] and has been described by conservative commentators as a "socialist" [cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1996/maggio/31/Buttafuoco_Mussolini_vattene_con_Ulivo_co_0_96053111728.shtml|title=Buttafuoco: Mussolini, vattene con l' Ulivo Alessandra: triste non sapere dove buttarsi|accessdate=2008-07-08] and a "left-winger". [cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2005/marzo/25/interroga_Alessandra_destra_femminista__co_9_050325040.shtml|title=An s' interroga su Alessandra «E' di destra o femminista?»|accessdate=2008-07-08]

On 22 July 2004 she said in Strasbourg: quote|I know the English have a sense of humor about themselves, but I am from Naples and I can say that we women do know how to cook and clean the refrigerator and even be politicians, while perhaps Godfrey Bloom does not know either how to clean the refrigerator or how to be a politician [Quote in the original language Italian: "So che gli Inglesi hanno il senso dell’autoironia, ma io sono napoletana e posso dire che noi donne sappiamo cucinare e pulire i frigoriferi e facciamo anche politica, mentre forse Godfrey Bloom non sa né pulire i frigoriferi, né fare politica."]

In March 2005, Mussolini was banned by a local court from regional elections held the following month for presenting fraudulent signatures. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/italy/story/0,,1436835,00.html "Alessandra Mussolini barred from election because of faked signatures"] by John Hooper, "The Guardian", March 14, 2005] "This is an affront to democracy, if they're going to exclude the Social Alternative they will have to exclude all the parties, because all the signature lists are false", Mussolini told Reuters. [ [http://www.tiscali.co.uk/news/newswire.php/news/reuters/2005/03/13/world/mussolinirsquosgranddaughterbarredfromvote.html "Mussolini’s granddaughter barred from vote"] , Reuters, March 13, 2005, on Tiscali News] Mussolini went on a hunger strike to protest the decision. [ [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/15/world/main680068.shtml "Hunger Strike By Mussolini"] , Associated Press, March 15, 2005, on CBS News] However, at the end of the month Italy's top administrative court, the Council of State, annulled the decision and she stood for election. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4401023.stm "Q&A: Italy regional elections"] , BBC News, 1 April 2005]

In 2006 she responded to criticism by trans-gender Italian M.P. candidate Vladimir Luxuria, with a line "Meglio fascista che frocio", that has been roughly translated as "It is better to be a fascist than a faggot." The Italian word used, "frocio", is considered an insult referring to one's buttocks. [ [http://www.repubblica.it/2006/c/sezioni/politica/versoelezioni35/muslux/muslux.html "Mussolini a Vladimir Luxuria 'Meglio fascista che frocio'"] , La Repubblica, 9 March 2006 it]

In November 2007, remarks by Mussolini triggered the collapse of the far-right Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty grouping within the European Parliament. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/eu/story/0,,2211166,00.html "Xenophobia destroys EU's ultra-rightwing MEP group"] , The Guardian, November 15, 2007] Mussolini declared that all Romanians were criminals in remarks regarding immigration policy. This prompted delegates from the Greater Romania Party to quit the group, bringing the group below the minimum number of members to qualify as a caucus and receive Parliament funding.

She was a member of following European Parliament committees and delegations:
* Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
* Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries
* Delegation to the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly

She also is an Honorary Member of the Italian Red Cross.

After the Italian general elections of April 2008 she serves as a member of the Italian parliament elected in Berlusconi's alliance of right wing parties.

Filmography

*"Bianco, rosso e..." (1972)
*"A Special Day" (1977)
*"Il Caso Pupetta Maresca" (1982) (TV film)
*"Il Tassinaro" (1983)
*"Qualcosa di biondo" (1984)
*"The Assisi Underground" (1985)
*"Ferragosto O.K." (1986) (TV film)
*"Noi uomini duri" (1987)
*"Vincere per vincere" (1988) (TV film)
*"Sabato, domenica e lunedì" (1990) (TV film)
*"Ha-Derech L'Ein Harod" (1990)

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.europarl.eu.int/members/expert/alphaOrder/view.do?language=EN&id=28429 European Parliament CV]
* [http://www.aseuropa.it Official website of Alternativa Sociale]
*
* [http://www.fczb.de/projekte/wid_db/Interviews/Italien/Mussolini.htm European Database: Women in Decision-making Interview with Alessandra Mussolini] January 2001
* [http://www.antonellaricciardi.it/interviews.asp?id=28 Interview with Alessandra Mussolini] by Antonella Ricciardi, 19 May 2005
* [http://www.cbc.ca/dispatches/media/060330_mussolini.ram Audio interview with Alessandra Mussolini] from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, March 30, 2006 (RAM format)
* [http://www.pbcovers.com/search.php?model=Alessandra+Mussolini&type=model&co=&y=&match=partial&sort=coverid Alessandra Mussolini Playboy magazine covers] at [http://www.pbcovers.com PBCovers.com]