Colle Oppio in Rome is set to reopen its doors as the first Italian section of the MSI, the political garage of melonism. After an agreement between Fabio Rampelli and the mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, the Municipality will grant the property to Fratelli d’Italia for a permanent exhibition on the exiles of Istria and Dalmatia.
Colle Oppio, previously known as the MSI headquarters, holds historical significance as the birthplace of the different right-wing movement led by architect-seagull Rampelli. It witnessed clashes during the election of the secretary of the Youth Front and became a gathering point and night shelter for the exiles.
The Roman nucleus of the Brothers of Italy had commissioned the agreement with the Campidoglio, the owner of the property, and last week, Rampelli and Mayor Gualtieri met to finalize the deal. The seventy meters underground near the Esquiline district comprise a hall, an office, another hall, and a small bath.
The warehouse-icon of the Roman right faced an explosive attack in the 1990s but fell victim to the anti-politics movement of the grillini. In 2017, Mayor Virginia Raggi, of the M5s party, decided on the eviction. The section was then used for archaeological excavations in association with the Capitoline superintendence.
After a year of negotiations, the desired outcome has been achieved. The Municipality will now grant the property to Fratelli d’Italia for a permanent exhibition on the exiles of Istria and Dalmatia. This small cave holds significant memories and played a vital role in the political and cultural development of the right-wing movement. It served as a meeting point, a venue for book presentations, and discussions on culture and TV.
Colle Oppio was the laboratory of Giorgia Meloni, the current leader of Fratelli d’Italia, from which she later emancipated herself. It remains to be seen if the premier will attend the reopening exhibition. Nevertheless, the news of Colle Oppio’s revival is undoubtedly significant for the political garage of melonism.