A perpetual state of propaganda – not just limited to the electoral season – is a staple of authoritarian governments.

Even after getting his seat in the cabinet, Salvini is still pushing forward his xenophobic rhetoric on social media – it doesn't matter to him (nor to Italians) that there are 629 migrants' lives at stake, and that his decision to close the ports to the ships helping shipwrecked people is a violation of human rights.