Giorgia Meloni, leader of the Brothers of Italy party, is poised to become Italy’s first female prime minister. Liberals none too happy with her Right-wing political views are claiming she is a fascist.

Meloni says she has no plans to cut access to abortion, but says that women should be “given other options.” She opposes adoption by same-sex couples, saying the ideal way for a child to be raised is by a woman and a man. Meloni’s politics are of a nationalist bent, and she has criticized globalism for taking “real power away from the people to supranational entities headed by supposedly enlightened elites.”

“We did not fight against and defeat communism in order to replace it with a new internationalist regime, but to permit independent nation states once again to defend the freedom, identity and sovereignty of their peoples,” Meloni said in a speech at the National Conservatism conference. (RELATED: Italian Election May Preview Europe’s Rightward Shift)

Meloni’s election has been hailed by media outlets such as The Atlantic as “The Return of Fascism in Italy.”

“Meloni would also represent continuity with Italy’s darkest episode: the interwar dictatorship of Benito Mussolini,” historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat wrote in the outlet Friday.

Meloni has dismissed  claims that her government would represent an “anti-democratic drift as “nonsense”.” She has reiterated that the fascism of Benito Mussolini is consigned to the ash heap of history, and condemned the anti-Semitism of early fascists.

Comparisons to Mussolini abounded, as Politico announced that Meloni, who will be the first female prime minister of Italy, is, “set to lead Italy’s most right-wing government since Benito Mussolini.” CNN made a nearly-identical accusation.

 

“Giorgia Meloni is a danger to Italy and the rest of Europe,” Roberto Saviano wrote at The Guardian, pointing to her use of the slogan “God, homeland, family.”

George Newth, a lecturer in Italian politics at the University of Bath, called Meloni’s election “the return of fascism” saying “Her racism is also evident in a depiction of immigration as an invasion,” in reference to Meloni’s support for restrictions on immigration. She has stated she is ready to “defend Italy’s borders” against the flood of illegal migrants crossing the Mediterranean by blockading Libya.

Transgender activist and “clinical instructor” at Harvard’s Cyberlaw Clinic Alejandro Caraballo said Meloni’s election was “terrifying.”

“Fascism is once again rising in Europe. Italy learned nothing from World War II,” Caraballo said.