Pd, also divided in Florence: Giani wants Renzi, Schlein does not

I’m not upset because you betrayed me, but because I won’t be able to trust you anymore. A phrase immortalized by Doors leader Jim Morrison and which manages to describe, in detail, the complex relationship between Dario Nardella and Matteo Renzi. Because the constant fights, the stark distance in political proposals and solutions to be adopted for Florence are just the conclusion of a relationship born many years ago. On the banks of the Arno. Nardella was considered Renzi’s dolphin, his deputy, the man who, better than anyone, embodied the dismantling desired by the then secretary of the Democratic Party. When the current leader of the IV became prime minister, he did not hesitate to nominate Nardella (who, in any case, had to face the primaries) as the Democratic Party’s candidate for the leadership of Palazzo Vecchio. Despite the infinite esteem for Stefania Saccardi and the awareness that Eugenio Giani always dreamed of this candidacy. Some fissures already occurred during Nardelli’s first five-year period.

«There were some unpleasant episodes – a Democratic leader tells us – Nothing serious, let’s be clear. Some disagreements with two businessmen very close to Renzi that, let’s say, Nardella, they did not handle with kid gloves.” Small tensions, which however were never forgotten. Thus, when he decided to found Italia Viva and Nardella, with a coup, he remained in Democratic Party, this acrimony has grown hourly. But personal events are just one aspect of this enormous abyss that could lead to the fall of the last red strongman. The issue is also (and above all) exquisitely political. There is a substantial difference in way in which Renzi and Nardella see the city. And its future. The conflict, at a media level, has been fierce for a year. On three topics in particular. The first concerns the modernization of the Franchi stadium, the one where Fiorentina plays. The mayor , in constant conflict with the president of Viola, Rocco Commisso, demanded that the renovation be part of the works financed with (public) money from the Pnrr. In fact, remember that, in 1983, the Franchi stadium was declared a national monument for the “daring use of the concrete used in the stands and helical stairs”. Ironically, its D shape is not accidental, but a declared homage to the Duce. Renzi immediately dismissed this choice (later rejected by the European Union) as madness. “Public money must be used for schools, public housing and health,” the IV leader repeated several times. Then the fines. Florence has a national record in this regard. For Nardella they serve to induce drivers to be more cautious, for Renzi “the Palazzo Vecchio has turned into a multifactory”.

Finally, security and management of the Kata case, the Peruvian girl who disappeared on June 10th and was never found again. The girl lived in an old illegally occupied hotel along with 140 other people. Nardella, aware that this issue would have enormous significance in the election campaign, carefully avoided talking about it for many months. Renzi returned to it an unknown number of times. «The city of the Institute of the Innocents cannot pretend that nothing happened. If a girl disappears, the city goes into mourning.” The conflict intensified when the Democratic Party said no to the primaries and, by force, made Sara Funaro’s candidacy official. Very loyal to Nardella. At that point, Iv expressed his desire to run alone. A decision, that of nominating Stefania Saccardi, current deputy governor of Tuscany, which could be decisive. Because, barring unexpected surprises at the last minute, the center-right will present a high-level candidate like Eike Schmidt. Without forgetting that , with Iv, Cecilia Del Re, former councilor for urban planning, unceremoniously dismissed for daring to express on the tram a position different from that of her mayor, could also compete.

Del Re, who has a significant number of preferences, asked Elly Schlein a thousand times to organize the primaries. After months of being thrown in the face, last week he announced (along with three councilors) his decision not to renew his PD membership. Eugenio Giani, governor of Tuscany, aware that the possible fall of Florence would lead, in the following year, to an almost certain change of guard in the Region as well, invited the center-left to reflect. «In Florence, the Democratic Party should also extend its support to Renzi». A very unlikely hypothesis at the moment. An intricate mystery that, however, has a specific date for its definitive solution. On March 3rd, the last call designated by Matteo Renzi for the coalition primaries will be held. «Whoever is afraid of primaries is afraid of democracy. We were not the ones who left the Democratic Party. It is the Florentine Democratic Party that is betraying itself.”