It is the last of the rallies, that of the center-right united in Basilicata, before the electoral silence is triggered. On Sunday 21st and Monday 22nd April we will vote to choose the next president of the Region. And the leaders of the parties that make up the government majority are all together, in Potenza, to support the election of the outgoing Vito Bardi (also supported by Azione and Italia Viva). One of the moments that garners the acclamation of the audience at the foot of the stage is when Antonio Tajani mentions the name of Silvio Berlusconi: «Italy does not grow if the South does not grow and the South does not grow if Basilicata does not grow. We need to increase minimum pensions to one thousand euros, it is a commitment that we have made and that Berlusconi asked of us until the last day of his life. It is a desire that in his name we want to realize together. He’s watching us, he’s sitting there, he’s following the rally too.” Before the leader of Forza Italia, in order of appearance, Lorenzo Cesa of the UDC and Gianfranco Rotondi of the DC intervene on stage. After them, Maurizio Lupi of Noi moderato, who defends the reform of differentiated autonomy: «Autonomy does not mean wanting to detach the country. It’s trying to make it even better, because the South and the North can travel the same way.”
Then it is the turn of candidate Bardi, who thanks the national leaders who have arrived in Potenza and accuses the left of “using fake news” to criticize the regional government, led by him, and the national executive. It’s time for the bigger parties. Tajani is the first: «The demonstration of Bardi’s good governance lies in the many lists that support him. The borders are widening, the real broad field is the centre-right, more and more forces are allying with us”, in reference to the support that the governor obtained from Carlo Calenda and Matteo Renzi. It’s up to the League. «Basilicata first, Lucania first» is the slogan with which Matteo Salvini chooses to conclude his speech. In the previous passages, the deputy prime minister and minister of transport also makes a promise relating to his ministry: «In the next few months we will invest 3 billion to fix the roads in Basilicata and at least double that for the railways. On the left they remember Basilicata the week before the elections.” He reiterates that the government will continue for all five years of the legislature, “let Giuseppe Conte and Elly Schlein put their souls at peace”, and raises the level of conflict with topics that do not concern the Region.
«The woman is not a paid ATM. The rented womb is a crime.” And again: «Parent 1 and parent 2 do not exist». Salvini also has it for Europe: «he wants to force us to go around with Chinese electric cars». “In Brussels they want to tax the house.” Finally, he winks at the pacifists: «In the European elections, whoever chooses the League makes precise choices: he chooses peace, despite the winds of war between Ukraine and Iran. May 2024 be the year of peace, not war as someone else claims.” He closes the unity rally with the Prime Minister. Even Giorgia Meloni, like those who preceded her, does not hide from the issue of autonomy, which is burning mainly in the southern regions. «The left says that the government is abandoning the South. Imagine if I, who believe in Italy more than anything, could leave half of this nation behind. They had the wrong interlocutor. Differentiated autonomy is the subject of constant fake news. The prerequisite is the identification of the Leps. There has been a gap and we are the ones who are fighting it.”
«Differentiated autonomy does not mean that I take away from one Region to give to another, it means that if I have a virtuous region, the State can consider giving new skills to manage. It gives something to the South: the empowerment of its ruling class, which is something that is needed. It doesn’t surprise me that those who rail against differentiated autonomy more than others are those who have the worst parameters in Italy.” The leader of the Brothers of Italy claims several successes of her executive, including the increase in places in medical schools. She teases political opponents on questions of linguistic inclusiveness: «equality is not created by calling me “president”, I don’t give a damn what they call me». And then she returns to the topic of the alleged fake news that her adversaries would spread to attack her: “They said that we wanted to abolish the level playing field, put journalists in jail, that we wanted to abolish the 194, all falsehoods.”
«The thing about journalists in prison is beautiful: I read “Meloni wants to send journalists to prison”. In practice there is a proposal to remove journalists from prison signed by an FdI parliamentarian, we are removing journalists from prison. And since an FdI senator presented an amendment to say “let’s keep it for serious cases”, then we are in favor of sending journalists to prison. They are shameless lies. But it doesn’t work because citizens are more informed than they seem.” In short, for Meloni, “Italy is becoming the world capital of fake news.” Her government, she says, has done more than the centre-left executives “held together with scotch tape”. That centre-left which, according to him, has “privatised healthcare with token doctors”, who “sympathizes with those who attack officers”. And he concludes with a promise: «It is fundamental to know that there is consensus and enthusiasm, that you do it for someone, this life cannot be done for yourself – political life -. As long as the Italian people ask me, I will not spare myself for this job.”
The full video of the rally
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Tags: Regional Basilicata centerright leaders gathered Potenza Tajani Berlusconi watching rally
