Empty words: Why bestselling tribute to Italy’s Salvini is not really a must-read

A book titled “Why Salvini deserves trust, respect and admiration” has become an online bestseller. But it's not exactly a "must-read": the 110-page paperback, which first came out in February, is completely blank. 

"Despite years of research, we couldn’t find anything worth mentioning on this topic, so feel free to use it for your own notes," reads the description of the blank 110-page tribute to Matteo Salvini. AFP/File

“This book is full of blank pages. Despite years of research, we couldn’t find anything worth mentioning on this topic, so feel free to use it for your own notes," reads the description on Amazon, whose Italian site placed the book top of the bestsellers list last week.   

The author is referred to as a political analyst. His bio reads: “Alex Green is the pseudonym of an author who tries to bring a little humour to life, especially in these difficult times”.

Matteo Salvini, the 47-year-old leader of the far-right League party served as Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister in Italy's previous coalition government. He is both loved and hated, depending on which side of the political divide you are on.

His hardline anti-immigration stance is admired by some. But his Eurosceptic positions and affinity with populist leaders such as the outgoing US President Donald Trump have risen eyebrows in Italy.

Politics bestseller, and nr4 overall bestseller on https://t.co/fJa8oeaxXe: "Why #Salvini deserves trust, respect, admiration"
110 pages by policy analyst Alex Green, all blank
Perché Salvini Merita Fiducia Rispetto E Ammirazione di Alex Green https://t.co/77kbGIVViN via @amazon

— Guglielmo Meardi (@guglielmomeardi) December 1, 2020

While Salvini’s League party has been steadily losing significant public support in recent months, his far-right coalition remains a strong opposition to the current coalition government of the Five Star Movement and Democratic Left.

The Captain, as he is nicknamed, has lost enormous personal support while the popularity of one of his allies, Georgia Meloni, of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, has been on the rise.

Salvini is also facing legal woes in Sicily where magistrates have put together a high profile case focused on an incident in July 2019 when, then interior minister, he kept more than 130 migrants on a coastguard vessel for 6 days without allowing their disembarkation as he waited for other European nations to agree to take them in.

The case, in which he stands accused of kidnapping the migrants, has divided Italy and a decision on whether he will be charged and stand trial is yet to be taken by the judge.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, as well as the Italian Transport and Defence Ministers, are expected to testify at a hearing in the Sicilian court of Catania on December 12.