Giorgia Meloni chose her opponent for the European pearls. «I’m happy to make a comparison with Elly Schlein. I believe it is normal and correct for the President of the Council of Ministers to confront the leader of the opposition before the electoral campaign for the European elections”, said the Prime Minister during the press conference at the end of the year, responding to those who asked him if she had accepted a face-to-face meeting with the leader of the Democratic Party. Schlein’s investiture as “leader of the opposition” would have shaken the minds of some Democrats who, according to rumors, a few hours after Meloni’s words were wondering: “How will Conte react ?”. The fear is that 5 Estrelas may raise its tone so as not to be overshadowed by the confrontation between the two leaders. In addition, relations between Conte’s Movement and the Democratic Party, already difficult, could complicate things even further. Even though some grillini contacted by phone by Agi confirmed that the line remains the same as always: dialogue on the issues with all oppositions in search of minimum common denominators on which to build unitary proposals. Possible. What is certain is that Conte declared at the end of the press conference: «Meloni can make the strategies he wants and choose to deal with whoever he wants. With me he refused, ordering the leaders of the Brothers of Italy to “no” my presence in Atreju”.
A concept also reinforced by Stefano Patuanelli, one of the members of the 5 Star Movement who in the past tried to mediate between the Grillini and the Dems. «Meloni has the right to confront whoever she wants, whoever she fears least» declared the M5S leader. Statements that could hide a poorly disguised desire on the part of the 5 Stars to complicate the alliance’s game with a view to the regional elections. In Sardinia the agreement has already been reached. The democrats accepted the candidacy of grillina Alessandra Todde, the same happens in Abruzzo where the united opposition will support Luciano D’Amico as a candidate with the civic list “Abruzzo together”. In Basilicata, Angelo Chiorazzo’s candidacy is still at stake, but Conte has so far preferred prudence. More complicated match in Piedmont, where relations between the Democrat and 5 Stars have been tense for some time. Here the Democrats preferred to suspend the primaries, focusing on Chiara Gribaudo, who seemed to be able to also gather Appendino’s consensus.
But the confrontation between the two parties is still on the high seas. Two days ago, regional leaders of the Democratic Party and M5S held a meeting from which, however, nothing new emerged. And in the absence of an agreement among Democrats, there are already those who invite the secretariat to move forward with the primaries. According to the logic that “by presenting a powerful candidate, supported by the primary vote, other political and civic forces inevitably unite”. It seems that Giorgia Meloni’s words contributed to the breakup of a relationship that was no longer in excellent health. The decisive point is that the two parties, Pd and M5S, know that they cannot win alone, but they also know that the risk of forming a common front could sanction the “political death” of one of the two. And between the two litigants we know that it is usually the third party who likes it.
Source: IL Tempo
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
