And the country’s politicians of all ideologies are lining up to praise them, court them and elbow into their online videos, all in the hope that some of their stardust rubs off. Now, Fedez and Ferragni have become the latest figureheads in Italy’s culture (and political) wars, resonating with a Gen Z audience. Two decades later, comedian Beppe Grillo founded the anti-politics 5Star Movement, which swept to power in 2018. In the 1990s, Italians vaulted Silvio Berlusconi from media baron to prime minister. The wariness has taken different forms over the years. Their political rise represents a new twist in a long-standing dynamic in Italy: distrust of political parties and elites. And just this past weekend, Fedez grabbed Italy’s attention when he accused a state-run broadcaster of trying to censor him during an appearance. They’ve crowdsourced funding for a hospital. They’ve directed fans to troll the Instagram page of a politician holding up an anti-LGBT violence bill. On issues from gay rights to the coronavirus to gender-based violence, the duo has wielded their digital savvy to push their thoughts, raise money and cajole politicians.
But in recent months, the pair have been occasionally swapping brand engagement for civil activism, upending Italian politics along the way.
