Matteo Renzi returns to Agrigento, a place of political memories and new perspectives.
Matteo Renzi was in Agrigento on a private visit to the Valley of the Temples. The last time he went to the UNESCO site he was in his capacity as Premier. Many will remember when, on 12 September 2016, he signed the “Pact for Sicily” in front of the Temple of Concordia. Present at the event were the president of the Sicilian Region, Rosario Crocetta, the Minister of the Interior, Angelino Alfano, the mayor of Agrigento, Lillo Firetto, several representatives of the regional council and the highest authorities of the territory. Today Renzi is the leader of Italia Viva, his party is approaching 5% according to the polls for the European elections. There has been talk many times of a possible agreement with the centre-right, starting with Cuffaro’s DC, but such an agreement has never been reached. After the official candidacy of General Roberto Vannacci, running for the League throughout Italy and leader in central Italy, the leaders are now expected, also to square the chessboard of names. The Democratic Party secretary Elly Schlein and the Forza Italia secretary Antonio Tajani have already launched their candidacy. The leading Dem in the Center and on the islands, and the deputy prime minister everywhere except on the Islands, where Caterina Chinnici will be. All eyes, in these hours, are all on the three days in Pescara, where on Sunday Giorgia Meloni should make the long-awaited announcement about her return to the pitch. If Giuseppe Conte and Matteo Salvini have already given up, only the centrist area is missing. Or rather, that of the former Terzo Polo. In fact, it is Matteo Renzi and Carlo Calenda who are waiting until the last minute to dissolve the reserve. The two former allies stall, at least until Meloni finally reveals the cards. To date, of the two, Calenda’s candidacy is more popular. Leaders aside, some names are already in the field. Just today, Avs exponents Nicola Fratoianni and Angelo Bonelli presented Ilaria Salis’s candidacy to the Chamber as head of the list in the North-West constituency. “A battle in defense of democracy, of the Constitution and for Europe”, said the deputies together with her father Roberto, on the candidacy of the teacher who in Budapest risks “11 years of hard prison”, for which Ilaria underlined in a letter who will defend himself at the “trial” but with “respect” of rights. For Avs, Fratoianni and Bonelli, not directly on the field, have focused on the former mayors, Ignazio Marino, Mimmo Lucano and Leoluca Orlando. Some certain names also for the United States of Europe of IV and +EU, such as Emma Bonino at the helm of the North West. The 5 Star Movement, after the self-nominations, is instead awaiting the last online vote of its members on President Giuseppe Conte’s proposals. The leader of ‘South calls North’, Cateno de Luca, and the five-star minister Laura Castelli, will lead the ‘Freedom’ list in all constituencies. Unknown for ‘Pace Terra e Dignità’ by Michele Santoro who is concluding the collection of signatures in the islands. And while Salvini’s League fits the last boxes after the Vannacci ‘bomb’, FdI maintains secrecy, at least until the prime minister’s announcement.
