Mussolini's successor?

Perhaps Mussolini pulls a Franco, and Umberto II becomes absolute monarch. Then again, Mussolini wanted to eventually phase out the monarchy.
Franco actually was a monarchist, though. He never really was all that comfortable with the Falange and was really more of a traditionalist leading an uneasy coalition of the Spanish Nationalist cause. Mussolini was initially a republican socialist and only tolerated the monarchy because his movement was weaker in the south of the country where many people were conservative monarchists and he needed an olive branch to be extended to them.

I think in an ideal situation for the Italian Fascists, they do significantly well in this Nazi victory and control Greece, Egypt, parts of Yugoslavia, Tunisia, and wherever else they desired in their near abroad. To do this, they'd have to have a lot of military success. So perhaps Graziani could be groomed as a successor with a war record to boast over.
 
Franco actually was a monarchist, though. He never really was all that comfortable with the Falange and was really more of a traditionalist leading an uneasy coalition of the Spanish Nationalist cause. Mussolini was initially a republican socialist and only tolerated the monarchy because his movement was weaker in the south of the country where many people were conservative monarchists and he needed an olive branch to be extended to them.

I think in an ideal situation for the Italian Fascists, they do significantly well in this Nazi victory and control Greece, Egypt, parts of Yugoslavia, Tunisia, and wherever else they desired in their near abroad. To do this, they'd have to have a lot of military success. So perhaps Graziani could be groomed as a successor with a war record to boast over.

The operative phrase is right here: the Fascist regime in Italy was dependent on having an agreed upon center figure to mediate between the different elements of its right-of-center coalition to the elite and the charismatic head of a personality cult to the masses. That's going to be whomever gets YEARS of spit and polish before hand and, given Mussolini's record in an Axis Victory timeline he'll have the right to hand-pick who that is. Gariboldi is also a viable option, though: especially since an Axis Victory is going to involve more action in the S.U and so give him a chance to earn glory in the "Great Crusade Against Communism"
 
If Italy is even allowed to stay independent.
I don't see why they wouldn't. Nazi racial theory held that in the long term, only Aryan and Slavic areas were suitable for rule by Germany, for one thing. Hitler had little interest in territory in Southern Europe until Italy flipped. Now, he might get a bit testy about South Tyrol and I think Italy would agree to trade it for perhaps permanent recognition of taking the parts of Savoy/Piedmont that were given away to France in the 1860s, or more of Yugoslavia. But maybe not, so who knows.
 
I'm thinking Dino Grandi - I know he was sceptical of pro-Nazi policy, could he get into office and stay there? Another option is Borghese (pro-Nazi?).
 
I'm thinking Dino Grandi - I know he was sceptical of pro-Nazi policy, could he get into office and stay there? Another option is Borghese (pro-Nazi?).

If Germany and Nazis are still around, them have much saying who will be next duce. Italy would be totally under German boot.
 
Mussolini is unlikely to last as long as 1960, vigorous sexual activity and a string of mistresses plus a need to be seen as a youthful and dynamic leader are going to induce a massive heart attack, I would say before 1950. De Vecchi is in with a good chance prior to 1955, he got on well with the King, Church and Army for a Fascist so the conservative establishment is likely to back him. Balbo if he survives the war would be the more radical candidate. After 1960 or following de Vecchi/Balbo. Grandi and Parravinci are relatively youthful figures who would almost certainly still be alive. Dino Grandi was still alive and relatively compos mentis well into the 1980s. Ciano has an outside chance as a compromise candidate in a stalemate immediately after Mussolini dies or is incapacitated. He was cunning enough to play factions off against each other. However he would only last as long as the stalemate persisted.
 
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