The party's main issue was the increasing government interference in, and the institutionalization of, farming. Yet it was more than single issue agrarian interest party. It saw itself as a conservative party which championed political and economic freedom in general, on basis of national and Christian values. It had a strong populist, anti-establishment appeal. Although some members had been active with fascist or national socialist organizations before 1945 the party rejected racism and fascism. Piero Ignazi has defined its ideology as " a curious mixture of authoritarianism and individualism, anti-tax protest, and anti-parliamentarism, somewhat reminiscent of French "Poujadism"". However he stressed that the party was not part of the extreme right.