ROME — The specter of Benito Mussolini returned this month in the form of a poster at Piazza Venezia, the Roman square where more than 70 years ago he fired up the masses with Fascist speeches and stirred a fatal brew of Italian nationalism.

The multistory movie poster of Mussolini, a.k.a. Il Duce, head bald and arms akimbo, advertised “I’m Back,” a satirical film imagining the dictator’s return to modern-day Italy.

In many ways, the poster symbolized the debate on Mussolini — or at least the violent nationalism that fueled his rise — that has returned with force to the country as critical elections loom on March 4.

The re-emergence of extremist violence, harassment and xenophobia has gripped Italy and forced the country to reckon with the hard-right and fascist ideologies fueled by a lingering financial crisis and migration.