What do you get when you cross social media savvy with a deep admiration for Donald Trump’s politics? The leader of Italy’s far-right Northern League party and former deputy Prime Minister, Mateo Salvini. Along with closing the country’s ports to sea rescue ships, accusing Tunisia of only sending convicts to Italy and drumming up Eurosceptic sentiment, he boasts a worryingly loyal following of close to 4 million on Facebook, posting updates every couple of hours. His latest move is weaponising the internet’s love of cats.
As the far-right politician campaigns to gain control of wealthy Italian districts, he is being met by wave of counter-demonstrators who have gained the nickname of sardines for packing themselves into city squares and showing silent discontent, like fish. To counter the grassroots movement against him, Salvini took to Facebook, posting a photo of a kitten eating a sardine with the caption: “is there anything sweeter and beautiful than a kitten? P.S. Do your feline children like sardines and minnows?” and a call for supporters to post photos of their cats.
Naturally—and regrettably—the internet replied with more than 10,000 photos of cats, with others also posting photos of their dogs. This leaves the rest of us sympathising with Taylor Armstrong of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (and that meme) emphatically trying to explain to people why cute cat photos are not a reason to support far-right politicians.
via @matteosalviniofficial