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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Lorenzo Tondo in Palermo

Italian towns split over moves to end honorary citizenship of Mussolini

Black and white photo of Benito Mussolini in military gear marching past a row of soldiers
Benito Mussolini leading an inspection of his troops in 1940. Most of Italy’s municipalities proclaimed him an honorary citizen under orders from fascist authorities during the rise of his regime. Photograph: ullstein bild/Getty Images

A simple vote last Friday was enough to strip Walt Disney of his honorary citizenship of Ustica, as the tiny Sicilian island of 1,300 people passed a law saying that only the living could be granted such recognition.

But the late American animator was mere collateral damage: the true target was Benito Mussolini, Italy’s fascist dictator, who eight decades after his death remains an honorary citizen of hundreds of Italian towns and cities, much to the disgust of many of their inhabitants.

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