‘Little England Beats Great Britain’: Italian Media Coverage of the EU Referendum 2016

Abstract

This chapter analyses the coverage of the 2016 EU referendum in the Italian press and a key broadcast political talk show, taking as its focus the changed context of the Italian political landscape with the rise of populist anti-European political movements from the Northern League (Lega Nord) through the various incarnations of Berlusconi’s parties to the more recent political formation of the Five Star Movement, which has reduced the Italian people’s traditional support of the European Union. In Italy, as has been the case in other European countries, the press and media aligned to progressive parties of the left and centre-left camp predominantly voiced their support for the Remain campaign, while their counterparts on the right and the centre right-parties and coalitions supported the Brexit campaign.