Mussolini declares a republic?

I don't know a lot about Italy in WWII, but what would have happened if Mussolini, once taking over, had declared himself President of a fascist republic without the monarchy?
 
I don't know a lot about Italy in WWII, but what would have happened if Mussolini, once taking over, had declared himself President of a fascist republic without the monarchy?

He will had suffer of a sudden lead poisoning; the army was a bastion of the monarchy, and even if not eager to put him down, in case of a blatant move like this (expecially so soon after taking power and with the Matteotti murder looming over Benny head) the brass and the troops will had follow the king and eliminated Mussolini and Co.
 
Could it be possible that Italian monarchy could survive on this scenario if WW2 goes similar way as OTL? Probably Victor Emmanuel III has still abdicate but monarchy could be better changes to survive.
 
Well the Monarchy/Republic issue wads put to vote by the allies after the war. Depends on when it occurs of course, if it's just before the planned royal coup d'état against Mussolini then it's quite possible Italy ends up a republic, but if it's earlier, say late 1940-early 1941 then it's quite possible monarchy is reinstituted after the war.
 
the idea Mussolini declare fascist republic, do not work.

Mussolini came to power with a triumvirate of Fascist, royalists and the Vatican !
take one part out the triumvirate and the system collapse.
Mussolini success as Leader, was by stabilize the triumvirate.
 
Okay, is there any way Benny Moose could blame the ill-preparation on the king rather than himself?
 
I don't know a lot about Italy in WWII, but what would have happened if Mussolini, once taking over, had declared himself President of a fascist republic without the monarchy?

Nope. Mussolini was way too opportunistic for this. He proclaimed the RSI only when he has been already estranged from the royalty and the pre-fascist era elites. In 1922, he had to win them over, so no republic.
It's not possible within the OTL March on Rome scenario either, with much of his legitimacy within the elites coming from the king's consent to make him PM. For the industrialists, the landowners, the church and the HQ Mussolini as a republican chief is a parvenu and a rabble-rouser (with some socialist and anticlerical past!) that has outlived his usefulness.
Not having consolidated the power - let us not forget that OTL he spent his first two or so years as the PM bending and twisting the Albertine Statutes, and bribing and threatening the pre-fascist Chamber of Deputies - he would have been quickly disposed of, and he clearly understood this.
 

yourworstnightmare

Banned
Donor
Mussolini was very anti- monarchy during his socialist days, but once he started this new ideology that flirted with the right he suddenly saw both potential allies in monarchy and church, as well as unifying symbols he needed on his side to legitimise himself.
 
Remember that he did eventually declare a Republic in what was left of Axis occupied Italy, which went back to more ideologically fascist themes, but it was a German puppet state for the entirety of its short life.
 
Remember that he did eventually declare a Republic in what was left of Axis occupied Italy, which went back to more ideologically fascist themes, but it was a German puppet state for the entirety of its short life.

Yeah but I'm not counting that, I mean with Benny still having legitimate power, somewhat early in his career. I predict some sort of three-way civil war between monarchists, fascists, and socialists/communists?

England/France, Germany, and Russia treat this as a proxy war, and Italy becomes an ATL Spain?
 
Top