Vannacci sparks a political row in Italy with AI-generated Roman emperor video

Far-right leader's AI-generated clip shows him as a Roman emperor ordering the "execution" of opposition figures Conte and Schlein - triggering accusations of incitement to violence. Italian far-right Futuro Nazionale leader Roberto Vannacci has sparked a political row after posting an AI-generated video of himself dressed as a Roman emperor, ordering the death of political rivals in a gladiatorial arena. The clip, reportedly created using Grok AI and shared on Instagram by a fan account before being reposted by Vannacci himself, casts the former army general as an emperor presiding over a Colosseum-style amphitheatre. Bound at the centre of the arena are four of his political opponents: Movimento 5 Stelle leader Giuseppe Conte, Partito Democratico (PD) secretary Elly Schlein, former prime minister Romano Prodi, and PD MP Laura Boldrini. Vannacci gives a thumbs-down and orders their execution "with a hammer and sickle" - implements, he sneers in the video, "they've never actually used". A centurion-style figure is shown stepping in to wield the tools after dropping his ice cream, reportedly modelled on Giuseppe Barboni, a Vannacci supporter recently involved in an assault case against a migrant in the Adriatic town of San Benedetto del Tronto. Roberto Vannacci, secretary of far-right party Futuro Nazionale, posted an AI-generated video showing him, in the guise of a Roman emperor, ordering the death of PD secretary Elly Schlein and M5S secretary Giuseppe Conte.July 20, 2026 pic.twitter.com/n66TwYKvrg — Crazy Ass Moments in Italian Politics (@CrazyItalianPol) July 20, 2026 Seated beside the self-styled emperor are figures representing prime minister Giorgia Meloni and senate president Ignazio La Russa, both in imperial dress, while a representation of Vannacci's wife Camelia Mihailescu is shown raising her middle finger - an apparent reference to recent footage of her reaction to a rendition of the song Bella Ciao on a street in Viareggio. Former premier Mario Draghi and others are depicted remaining seated in silent disapproval as the rest of the crowd erupts. Political backlash Conte was among the first to respond to the video, calling it a message that "incites violence and risks stirring up the most fanatical". He questioned whether Meloni's right-wing Fratelli d'Italia party would go on to strike a formal pact with Vannacci, asking pointedly whether she would once again "neither condemn nor endorse" the video. Vannacci hit back, dismissing the furore as an overreaction to "an obviously unreal satirical video" and telling critics to "take an antihistamine". Other opposition figures were equally scathing. Boldrini called it proof of a "very dangerous drift" that must be stopped immediately, arguing there was nothing ironic about depicting the killing of political opponents. Green MEP Angelo Bonelli went further, suggesting the video could meet the threshold of Italy's criminal code provisions on harmful AI-generated content, and comparing the approach to what he called the "Trump method" of normalising political violence. PD figures Chiara Braga and Francesco Boccia both pressed Meloni directly to distance herself, noting her likeness appears seated approvingly beside Vannacci in the footage. Carlo Calenda, leader of the centrist Azione party, also called on Meloni to "formally distance herself" from Vannacci, writing on X: "The fascist clown, traitor to the homeland and disgrace to the uniform, has crossed every limit of decency and lunacy". The row comes amid reports that Vannacci is open to a formal, written electoral pact with Meloni ahead of elections in 2027.

WIRE — Far-right leader's AI-generated clip shows him as a Roman emperor ordering the "execution" of opposition figures Conte and Schlein - triggering accusations of incitement to violence. Italian far-right Futuro Nazionale leader Roberto Vannacci has sparked a political row after posting an AI-generated video of himself dressed as a Roman emperor, ordering the death of political rivals in a gladiatorial arena. The clip, reportedly created using Grok AI and shared on Instagram by a fan account before being reposted by Vannacci himself, casts the former army general as an emperor presiding over a Colosseum-style amphitheatre. Bound at the centre of the arena are four of his political opponents: Movimento 5 Stelle leader Giuseppe Conte, Partito Democratico (PD) secretary Elly Schlein, former prime minister Romano Prodi, and PD MP Laura Boldrini. Vannacci gives a thumbs-down and orders their execution "with a hammer and sickle" - implements, he sneers in the video, "they've never actually used". A centurion-style figure is shown stepping in to wield the tools after dropping his ice cream, reportedly modelled on Giuseppe Barboni, a Vannacci supporter recently involved in an assault case against a migrant in the Adriatic town of San Benedetto del Tronto. Roberto Vannacci, secretary of far-right party Futuro Nazionale, posted an AI-generated video showing him, in the guise of a Roman emperor, ordering the death of PD secretary Elly Schlein and M5S secretary Giuseppe Conte.July 20, 2026 pic.twitter.com/n66TwYKvrg — Crazy Ass Moments in Italian Politics (@CrazyItalianPol) July 20, 2026 Seated beside the self-styled emperor are figures representing prime minister Giorgia Meloni and senate president Ignazio La Russa, both in imperial dress, while a representation of Vannacci's wife Camelia Mihailescu is shown raising her middle finger - an apparent reference to recent footage of her reaction to a rendition of the song Bella Ciao on a street in Viareggio. Former premier Mario Draghi and others are depicted remaining seated in silent disapproval as the rest of the crowd erupts. Political backlash Conte was among the first to respond to the video, calling it a message that "incites violence and risks stirring up the most fanatical". He questioned whether Meloni's right-wing Fratelli d'Italia party would go on to strike a formal pact with Vannacci, asking pointedly whether she would once again "neither condemn nor endorse" the video. Vannacci hit back, dismissing the furore as an overreaction to "an obviously unreal satirical video" and telling critics to "take an antihistamine". Other opposition figures were equally scathing. Boldrini called it proof of a "very dangerous drift" that must be stopped immediately, arguing there was nothing ironic about depicting the killing of political opponents. Green MEP Angelo Bonelli went further, suggesting the video could meet the threshold of Italy's criminal code provisions on harmful AI-generated content, and comparing the approach to what he called the "Trump method" of normalising political violence. PD figures Chiara Braga and Francesco Boccia both pressed Meloni directly to distance herself, noting her likeness appears seated approvingly beside Vannacci in the footage. Carlo Calenda, leader of the centrist Azione party, also called on Meloni to "formally distance herself" from Vannacci, writing on X: "The fascist clown, traitor to the homeland and disgrace to the uniform, has crossed every limit of decency and lunacy". The row comes amid reports that Vannacci is open to a formal, written electoral pact with Meloni ahead of elections in 2027.

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