Radical right populism and the backlash against gender equality: The case of the Lega (Nord)

The Italian Lega party is part of the political phenomenon of radical right populism that is on the rise in Europe. Since 2013, under Salvini’s leadership, the party has moved to the extreme right, in the name of the people. This ideological transformation, built on nationalization and othering processes, has made Lega a radical right populist party with a conservative agenda on gender and family issues. The most virulent attack against women’s and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans) rights came when Lega was in power with the Five Star Movement after the 2018 general election. This article uses a critical frame analysis to explore Lega’s ideological transformation, with the aim of identifying when, how and why gender became a salient issue in Lega’s ideology and made the party the key player in backsliding gender equality policies in Italy.