In 1938, Mussolini was concerned that if Italian Fascism did not recognize Nordic heritage within Italians, then the Mediterranean inferiority complex would return to Italian society. Therefore, in summer 1938 the Fascist government officially recognized Italians as having Nordic heritage and being of Nordic-Mediterranean descent and in a meeting with PNF members. In June 1938 in a meeting with PNF members, Mussolini identified himself as Nordic and declared that previous policy of focus on Mediterraneanism was to be replaced by a focus on Aryanism.