Five Star Movement leader Giuseppe Conte has said he will support Andrea Orlando’s candidacy for the presidency of the Liguria Region. And so does Italia Viva leader Matteo Renzi, announcing in an interview with La Stampa that he is ready to leave the center-right government of Genoa led by Mayor Marco Bucci.
“Let’s clear away the ambiguities: we do not intend to keep our feet in different shoes and therefore we are ready to separate our path from that of the very good Marco Bucci,” he says. “So good that, I remember, Conte rightly appointed him commissioner for the reconstruction of the Morandi bridge. We are ready to be present in a reformist list without party symbols. And to support the candidacy of Andrea Orlando, with whom I have different positions but whom I have nevertheless appointed as minister.” But, he adds, “as long as they are not alibis. There is no point in beating around the bush. In Liguria the problem is not Italia Viva, but the divisions of others. There is a country in crisis, the Transition 5.0 plan is not working, Minister Sangiuliano who should go home tomorrow morning, a budget law to be made: and we argue? Enough talk, let’s work».
The secretary of Italia Viva responds in this way to the provocation of the secretary of the Democratic Party Elly Schlein on the position of Italia Viva. Liguria is the first electoral appointment after the investigation that overwhelmed Giovanni Toti. And it could be the first test of the super-wide center-left field that is struggling to find a compromise.
While Giuseppe Conte claims that allying with Renzi is equivalent to committing harakiri, the leader of Italia Viva responds: «I made a vow: I don’t want to speak badly of him. Conte has not yet digested the choice to indicate Draghi as prime minister. He is stuck in 2021. I deal with the future: We must create an alternative to Meloni. To do so, Elly Schlein has proposed to stop with the vetoes. Whoever vetoes attacks Schlein, not Renzi. I tell everyone that the opposing Matteo is called Salvini».
Renzi admits that «bipolarism has won. Our attempt to overcome it has not worked». And he adds that «the center has no prospect of autonomous life today but is decisive for coalitions. It was in the United Kingdom for Starmer and it will be for Kamala Harris: whoever convinces the moderates wins».
Therefore, he adds clearly, that «if Elly Schlein gives the line, we are in. If Conte gives the line, then we are out. But the stakes today are not on Italia Viva but on the leadership of the coalition. The PD has opened up, we are in. We are not in the coalition because the doctor ordered it, but because the secretary of the PD asked us to».
Renzi then outlines a «program for the middle class» that goes from school, to healthcare to work. But the divisive issues remain. Starting with the Jobs Act, against which the Democratic Party supports the CGIL referendum. “Everyone maintains their positions on that,” Renzi replies. “Instead, together we will block differentiated autonomy, a harmful measure because it will increase bureaucracy. I think that Confindustria itself should be involved in this battle, not just the unions. This autonomy is harmful to businesses.” Another crucial issue is foreign policy, with divisions over weapons to Ukraine. “The issue is not their use,” Renzi explains. “If you send weapons, and I voted in favor, it is right that the Ukrainians use them. You cannot say: I give you weapons, but you do not use them. After that, it is clear that, alongside the path of weapons, the diplomatic path is essential to reach a just peace. And Europe is asleep, unfortunately. But it is hypocritical to say yes to weapons but only in Ukraine, as Tajani says. Who is increasingly embarrassing as foreign minister.” While on the Middle East he says: «In Israel there is a democratically elected head of government who pursues policies that are also strongly contested internally. On the other side there is a terrorist group of extremist butchers. They are not on the same level. I think that the solution can only be that of two peoples and two states and that to get there the role of the countries in the area is indispensable: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the Emirates and Egypt».
This article is originally published on .linkiesta.it
