From 4 percent in the 2018 election to 24 percent in the latest opinion polls.

That's how quickly Italy's brothers have advanced in popularity.

Much now suggests that they will take home the victory in the by-election on September 25 and govern together with their allies on the right flank – Lega and Forza Italia.

The party is led by 45-year-old Georgia Meloni.

She is seen as a strong leader, with national conservative values.

Among other things, she is against immigration, same-sex marriage and does not want gay couples to be allowed to adopt.

However, the party has clearly taken a stand against the war in Ukraine, something their allies have not done.

On the contrary, Silvio Berlusconi (Forza Italia) and Matteo Salvini (Lega) have close ties to Russia and Putin.

Accused of fascism

Critics have repeatedly argued that the Brothers of Italy have roots in fascism.

Partly because Georgia Meloni became involved in a post-fascist party as a 15-year-old.

But there have also been peripheral party members who have expressed their support for fascism. 

Sociologist and editorial writer Mauro Magatti, however, thinks it is wrong to say that drawing connections to fascism.

- It is not reasonable to accuse her of fascism, she is just an expression of populism, he says.

The fact that they are now increasing so much, he believes, has to do with the government of Mario Draghi, a coalition that Italy's brothers chose not to be part of.

-There is a large percentage of the people who do not like Draghi's line and the economic situation.

Georgia Meloni has benefited from that.

The left-wing alternatives find it difficult to cooperate

The social democratic party Partito Democratico has the second highest numbers.

But Enrico Letta's party has difficulty forming alliances with other center-left parties, preventing them from taking power. 

Italy has 20 years of political chaos behind it and there is no indication that it will end with Georgia Meloni as Prime Minister.

Mauro Magatti believes that the party's policy is too weak and that they will find it difficult to live up to their promises.

The conservative and anti-immigration ideas are in several cases in conflict with EU and international laws, which means that they will be difficult to implement.