I know this title is provocative and speculative.
I read a text today about Giorgia Meloni (and her post-fascist party). There are many right-wing leaders such as Alice Weidel in Germany (who said Hitler was a communist in an exchange with Musk on X), Marine Le Pen and Marjorie Taylor Greene in the US (who is now a vocal Trump critic). Especially, the last case was very surprising for many observers. She believes (believed?) in Jewish space lasers but she drew a line when Trump didn't release the Epstein files. She actually believed Trump was a good guy before the election. As a representative this is quite naive while at the same time it is courageous to stand up as a Republican. That's brave. So things aren't as certain as they seem.
The article I read argued that the politics of Meloni is edge is taken off by the fact she is a woman. Right-wing politics doesn't seem as rough when a woman is a leading figure. However, Meloni is compared to many other right-wing female leaders relatively moderate. Some argue that when right-wing leaders come into office they necessarily have to adapt to the status quo. And become moderate. This is also a debate about the AfD in Germany. Personally, I don't believe in this theory. Look at Trump's second term or Victor Orban in Hungary. The right-wing parties in Europe are very heterogeneous and the AfD is very extreme on the spectrum. It is too risky to bet on this moderation effect.
I find it interesting that when Harris lost many pundits said the first female president would be a Republican. This is due to the fact the Democrats lost with Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris. They won't try it a third time. In German analysis in mainstream outlets they blamed partly the sexism in the American society for her loss.
Personally, I think it is probably more likely the next Hitler will be a man. Due to the fact chauvinism, reactionary and nationalistic politics are often associated with strongman politics. And people who long for past decades also want to undo feminism and return to a tradwife era.
At the same time, a woman as a leader on the right would be the ultimate fig leaf. We cannot be Nazis because we even accept a woman as our leader. Look at Alice Weidel she is also a fig leaf of her party. A lesbian woman living in Switzerland, married to a woman from Sri Lanka, raising kids with her.
However, when we look at the world who is compared most often to Hitler? It is Putin, Trump, Netanjahu. And I couldn't name many female leaders that are frequently compared to Hitler. (Maybe because most leaders are male?) I know Angela Merkel was compared to Hitler frequently during the Euro crisis. However, the main reason for that was probably her nationality. At the same time Merkel always tried to present herself more masculine and didn't want to emphasize the fact she is a woman. Other leaders would not have taken her seriously otherwise according to her.
I read a text today about Giorgia Meloni (and her post-fascist party). There are many right-wing leaders such as Alice Weidel in Germany (who said Hitler was a communist in an exchange with Musk on X), Marine Le Pen and Marjorie Taylor Greene in the US (who is now a vocal Trump critic). Especially, the last case was very surprising for many observers. She believes (believed?) in Jewish space lasers but she drew a line when Trump didn't release the Epstein files. She actually believed Trump was a good guy before the election. As a representative this is quite naive while at the same time it is courageous to stand up as a Republican. That's brave. So things aren't as certain as they seem.
The article I read argued that the politics of Meloni is edge is taken off by the fact she is a woman. Right-wing politics doesn't seem as rough when a woman is a leading figure. However, Meloni is compared to many other right-wing female leaders relatively moderate. Some argue that when right-wing leaders come into office they necessarily have to adapt to the status quo. And become moderate. This is also a debate about the AfD in Germany. Personally, I don't believe in this theory. Look at Trump's second term or Victor Orban in Hungary. The right-wing parties in Europe are very heterogeneous and the AfD is very extreme on the spectrum. It is too risky to bet on this moderation effect.
I find it interesting that when Harris lost many pundits said the first female president would be a Republican. This is due to the fact the Democrats lost with Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris. They won't try it a third time. In German analysis in mainstream outlets they blamed partly the sexism in the American society for her loss.
Personally, I think it is probably more likely the next Hitler will be a man. Due to the fact chauvinism, reactionary and nationalistic politics are often associated with strongman politics. And people who long for past decades also want to undo feminism and return to a tradwife era.
At the same time, a woman as a leader on the right would be the ultimate fig leaf. We cannot be Nazis because we even accept a woman as our leader. Look at Alice Weidel she is also a fig leaf of her party. A lesbian woman living in Switzerland, married to a woman from Sri Lanka, raising kids with her.
However, when we look at the world who is compared most often to Hitler? It is Putin, Trump, Netanjahu. And I couldn't name many female leaders that are frequently compared to Hitler. (Maybe because most leaders are male?) I know Angela Merkel was compared to Hitler frequently during the Euro crisis. However, the main reason for that was probably her nationality. At the same time Merkel always tried to present herself more masculine and didn't want to emphasize the fact she is a woman. Other leaders would not have taken her seriously otherwise according to her.
