#ItalianRightGalaxy: investigating the X/Twitter network between radical and extreme-right in Italy

Abstract This article investigates the digital ecosystem of the Italian radical and extreme-right by analyzing shared online audiences on X/Twitter. Employing a bottom-up approach grounded in social network analysis (SNA), the study examines networks of overlapping followers among official party accounts, affiliated youth organizations and non-party actors (such as cultural associations, music labels and newspaper). The main research question asks whether radical-right and extreme-right actors share a common online user base, using follower overlap as a proxy for communicative proximity and symbolic alignment, rather than formal organizational ties. Contrary to expectations of ideological segmentation between radical and extreme-right actors, the findings reveal substantial audience overlap and a highly connected network structure, suggesting that the Italian “far-right” digital sphere is less fragmented at the user level than often assumed. Through Social Newtork Analysis approach (e.g. bipartite projections, community detection and Exponential Random Graph Models), the analysis shows that digital affiliations frequently cut across offline political boundaries. Particular attention is given to cultural and youth-related accounts, which emerge as key intermediaries linking radical and extreme-right audiences and foster cross-sphere visibility, especially for marginalized actors in institutional politics. Despite methodological limitations, the study provides novel insights into the relational structure of the radical and extreme-right digital communities in Italy and contributes to ongoing debates on ideological boundaries, normalization, and audience integration in contemporary digital politics.