This Day in History: 3 January 2020
3 January 1925
95 years ago, today, Benito Mussolini dissolved the Italian parliament and proclaimed himself as the dictator of Italy, taking the title 'II Duce', meaning the leader. For many years, he and his Fascist allies had been working within the Italian constitution to bring up power, which would do away with democracy. It is agreed that the moment of Mussolini's rise to power came in the speech he gave to the Italian parliament on this day, in which he asserted his right to supreme power. Mussolini had been a schoolteacher and a socialist, but after the First World War, he became a leader of the Fascist movement. After the war, Italy was in social ruins, as street gangs and paramilitary groups fought about political views for the future.
By 1921, Mussolini had been elected to parliament as the leader of the National Fascist Party. Soon after his election, his Fascist paramilitary group, known as the Blackshirts, marched to Rome and demanded that the king institute Mussolini as Prime Minister. King Victor Emmanuel III ignored the current Prime Minister Luigi Facta's request to declare martial law, which lead to Facta's resignation, and the invitation came from the King to Mussolini to start a new government. His Fascists began dismantling democratic institutions, and Mussolini was declared dictator. However, many Fascists thought he was moving too slowly, and later issued an ultimatum after a boycott was led against his legislature, due to the fact that he held heavy ties to the death of socialist leader, Giacomo Matteotti. Mussolini then addressed the remainder of parliament and dared his opposition to challenge his authority, as he accepted full responsibility for the murder. As none did challenge him, Mussolini operated openly as a dictator, resulting in an alliance with Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
Want to find out more about the life of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini? Click here for more information.
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