Overview

• During his June 11 appearance on Rai1’s ‘Cinque Minuti’, Benigni launched Il Sogno, his new book tracing the European project’s history and ideals, including the Ventotene Manifesto.
• He branded himself an “extreme Europeanist”, contrasting the EU’s supranational institutions with its intergovernmental council and urging the elimination of member-state veto rights to streamline decisions.
• He emphasized that the EU has maintained 80 years of peace—the longest period since the Trojan War—on the foundation of shared values.
• He drew a clear line between patriotism and nationalism, describing the latter as inherently linked to war and warning against its revival.
• He cautioned that protectionist tariffs, like those reintroduced under Donald Trump, have historically precipitated conflicts and undermine stability.