The imposing stage overlooking the sea promises big announcements. It is the clue that betrays the intentions. The Fratelli d’Italia programmatic conference began yesterday in Pescara. Ciriani, Sangiuliano, Crosetto, Calderone. A parade of ministers divided on the three stages set up on the beach which will continue today. But the highlight of the day, let’s say it straight away, it will be Sunday. On that day, from the stage in Piazza 1 Maggio, Giorgia Meloni will make her candidacy as leader of the list in all constituencies official of the next European elections. And it doesn’t matter that yesterday Giovanni Donzelli was still acting ignorant so as not to spoil the surprise: “We are all curious, we are all waiting with interest for what he will decide, but we don’t know it yet.” Meanwhile, yesterday Meloni received Pope Francis’ yes: the Pontiff will participate in the G7. Francesco will be present in Puglia to follow the work of the world’s greats on artificial intelligence.
The announcement of the candidacy on Sunday, however, will be a way to give the charge and, polls in hand, allow the party to make a leap up of at least two percentage points. On stage, speaking before Meloni, there will also be the other leaders of the centre-right, the two deputy prime ministers Matteo Salvini and Antonio Tajani. We start from here, from the Southern constituency, from Abruzzo, where a few months ago the centre-right defeated the broad camp that dreamed of on the wings of victory in Sardinia. FdI confirmed its president, the personal friend of the Prime Minister Marco Marsilio. He will be the first of five rallies, one per constituency. An electoral campaign focused on the prime minister, as could already be understood from the electoral posters depicting her together with the large writing “With Giorgia”. Customization to which the television confrontation with the opponent that Meloni has chosen, the secretary of the Democratic Party Elly Schlein, cannot be missed.
Yesterday, however, the usually very calm undersecretary to the presidency took care of it from Pescara Alfredo Mantovano who, speaking of the European Parliament’s resolution for the inclusion of abortion among the fundamental rights of the EU, blurted out: “Don’t write similar pages anymore, not only for their merit, but because they are outside the scope of the EU’s competences” . Other news: the Minister for Relations with Parliament Luca Ciriani has announced that the premiership will come to the Senate on 6 May. FdI is aiming for approval at first reading at Palazzo Madama before the European elections.
Conferences of ministers aside, among FdI militants and delegates the focus is entirely on the elections. Within a few days the lists must be compiled. The sister of the prime minister and party leader Arianna Meloni and Donzelli work there: “We’re almost there”, she said yesterday. It could be an opportunity to see if phase two can begin within the party with the European elections. However there is no shortage of those pushing for a change of pace, “for a pact of loyalty” with the best forces in the country, as also suggested to FdI by Giovanni Minoli in the interview with this newspaper. However, the most intransigent members of the party do not share this idea, starting with the highly respected Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council Giovanbattista Fazzolari. Among those who follow his line, the adage is this: the worst of us is better than the best of others. Not exactly a good viaticum for enlargement, for the prospect of transforming FdI into a large and lasting governing force in Italy. And in fact, looking at the names that have circulated so far for the June elections, for example, it is difficult to observe any trace of men who do not come from the AN youth team.
In central Italy, where there will be between five and six elected representatives, the aim is to have one per region. For Lazio the reconfirmation of the outgoing head of delegation Nicola ProcacciniTuscany, Marche and Umbria, however, will each have a candidate regional councilor (Francesco Torselli, Carlo Ciccioli and Marco Squarta). To these are added Antonella Sbernawife of the group leader of FdI in the Lazio regional council Daniele Sabatini and Civita Di Russo, deputy chief of staff of the president of the Lazio region Francesco Rocca. The outsider, as anticipated by Il Foglio, could be the former Rutellian councilor Francesco Carducci. The same goes for the north-west, where the aim is to reconfirm Carlo Fidanza and Pietro Fiocchi. But the former deputy governor of Fi will also run Mario Mantovani, sponsored by Ignazio La Russa. Some exceptions, so to speak, can be seen in the north-east where FdI will nominate the former president of Confagricoltura Bologna, Guglielmo Garagnani. But the strong name remains that of the very fierce Venetian councilor Elena Donazzan. In the south they will certainly be re-nominated Denis Nesci and Vincenzo Sofo. But who knows, perhaps a surprise will arrive from Pescara. Finally, on the islands for Sicily there will be the outgoing Giuseppe Milazzo and Nello’s loyalist Musumeci, Ruggero Razzawhile in Sardinia the deputy Salvatore Deidda could be a candidate to fill the preferences.
In short, it is increasingly clear that if there really is a step towards a “phase two” it will not be on the lists for the next elections. Yet FdI’s European patrol is destined to triple. In 2019, collecting 6.4 percent of the votes, five went to Brussels. In June, if things go the way Meloni hopes, exceeding the 26 percent achieved in the elections, there will be 24 newly elected members, 17 more. And even if it is true that the seven outgoing candidates will be re-nominated, the space this time in Europe is wide. The opportunity to open a phase two therefore seems tempting.
