Vannacci’s Election Campaign Tour in Marche: Spotlight on the Controversial “Decima Mas” Dog Breeding Facility
Italian far-right figure Roberto Vannacci, the League party’s vice-secretary and MEP, kicked off his election campaign in the Marche region with a whirlwind tour that included a stop at the “Decima Mas” German Shepherd breeding facility in Agugliano, near Ancona. On September 18, 2025, just days before regional elections, Vannacci visited the site as part of a 300-kilometer journey highlighting local “excellences” like trout farms, pasta factories, and wineries. The visit, organized by his local “Team Vannacci – Il mondo al contrario” supporters, drew immediate scrutiny due to the facility’s name, evoking the infamous X Flottiglia MAS (Decima MAS), a fascist-era naval unit that later collaborated with Nazi forces during World War II—a symbol Vannacci has controversially referenced in past campaigns.
The day began with stops at a trout farm in Sefro, a pasta maker in Camerino, and a winery in Cingoli, showcasing Marche’s artisanal heritage. After a paid lunch at Jesi’s tennis club—where 120 supporters shelled out €35 each for risotto, veal shank, and semifreddo—Vannacci arrived at the Decima Mas kennel, run by Daniele Barbanera. The facility specializes in breeding and training German Shepherds for police and special forces, focusing on anti-terrorism, explosive detection, drug interdiction, and public order roles. Barbanera named it after his grandfather, a Decima MAS veteran from the fascist period, and the office walls display memorabilia, including a portrait of Benito Mussolini amid trophies and certificates.
Vannacci, known for his provocative book Il mondo al contrario and military background, engaged warmly with the dogs, cradling a one-month-old puppy and chatting about animal welfare. “I’d love one, but I don’t have the time to care for it properly—my daughters would adore it, but they already put up with their dad,” he quipped, emphasizing his love for animals despite his busy schedule. The tour wrapped with an open-air rally at Ancona’s Mole Vanvitelliana, where he railed against “European propaganda” and dismissed recent Russia-Poland drone incident reports as overhyped.
Echoes of Controversy: Vannacci’s History with Decima MAS References
This isn’t the first time Vannacci’s campaign has flirted with Decima MAS imagery. During the 2024 European elections, a viral video urged voters to “make a decima” (a tenth, symbolized by an X) on League ballots, sparking outrage from left-wing parties, historians, and even some centrists who accused him of fascist apologism. Senate President Ignazio La Russa criticized the tactic as “wrong” for electoral purposes, stressing the unit’s post-1943 divisions under the Salò Republic. Vannacci’s team defended it as honoring the pre-armistice “glorious” phase, citing figures like hero Teseo Tesei, but critics like +Europa’s Riccardo Magi decried it as violating Italy’s anti-fascist laws. The League’s Matteo Salvini backed him, calling fascism “dead and buried,” while Vannacci himself garnered over 500,000 preferences despite the backlash.
The breeding facility itself has a checkered past. In 2016, Albenga’s city council rejected a police dog from Decima MAS, citing the name’s fascist connotations as disrespectful to local WWII history. Owner Barbanera explained it as a tribute to family, but the incident highlighted sensitivities around the moniker.
Regional Push: Backing Candidates Amid Backlash
Vannacci’s Marche tour supports League-aligned candidates like Piero Bologna and Antonella Andreoli in the September 21-22 elections, where the region faces a tight race between center-right and center-left coalitions. His visit aligns with the League’s strategy to leverage his populist appeal in rural and conservative areas, but it risks alienating moderates wary of historical revisionism. As polls show a fragmented vote, such stops aim to energize the base, blending local pride with Vannacci’s signature controversy.
While supporters see it as celebrating Italian excellence—from working dogs to cuisine—opponents view the Decima MAS tie-in as tone-deaf. As voting nears, Vannacci’s unapologetic style continues to polarize, turning a simple kennel visit into a flashpoint for Italy’s unresolved fascist legacy.