Francesco Franco

Francesco Franco (Reggio Calabria, March 28, 1930 – Reggio Calabria, November 16, 1991), better known as Ciccio Franco, was an Italian politician, trade unionist and activist. He was a senator for the Italian Social Movement – National Right (Italian: Movimento Sociale Italiano – Destra Nazionale, MSI–DN) (1972–1991). He gained particular notoriety for his role as a popular leader during the Reggio revolt of 1970–1971.

In July 1970, Franco, at the time a trade union leader from the National Italian Workers' Union (CISNAL) close to the neofascist movement, became the informal leader of the rebel Action Committee and of the revolt. The cause of the protests was a government decision to make Catanzaro, not Reggio Calabria, regional capital of Calabria.

On September 17, 1970, he was arrested along with other leaders of the revolt on charges of incitement in a police sweep that targeted some 100 people. The news about the arrest provoked violent reactions, in particular in the dilapidated Sbarre suburb in Reggio. At least 6,000 police men were deployed from many parts of Italy to try to stop the violence. Franco was released on December 23, 1970.

On January 31, 1971, four leaders of the rebel Action Committee were arrested on charges for instigating violence. Franco was able to escape arrest initially, but was arrested on June 5, 1971, after a scuffle at a neo-fascist party rally in Rome. In February 1971, journalist Oriana Fallaci had been able to interview the fugitive Franco for L'Europeo. He explained that many potentially leftist youths "today are fascists simply because they believe that the battle of Reggio is interpreted fairly only by the fascists."

The revolt ended up by being taken over by neo-fascists (relevant was also the role of the militant neo-fascist movement National Vanguard) and led to unexpected electoral fortunes for the Italian Social Movement at the Italian general election in May 1972, when Franco was elected senator. The neo-fascists benefitted, because the Christian Democrats were divided, while the city was one of its fiefdoms, and the Italian Communist Party (PCI) supported the suppression of the riots.

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