First on April 25th with the Anpi. Then a press conference in the Chamber of Deputies. These are hectic days for Roberto Salis, Ilaria’s father. He can’t wait to return to his “garden in Sardinia”. But Angelo Bonelli and Nicola Fratoianni polish their jewel. With the hope that the candidacy of the teacher detained in Hungary can push the Greens and Left Alliance beyond the 4% threshold, necessary to enter the next European Parliament. From the headquarters of the red-greens they hope for the “Salis effect”. However, not all polls certify that the quorum has been exceeded. On the contrary. An Emg survey dated April 24th shares Avs at 3.7%. Under the barrier. A result that would be a semi-flop, given the media firepower of Salis’ candidacy.
The day of the father of the activist from Monza begins at eleven in Montecitorio. Press conference with Bonelli and Fratoianni. Anna Pozzali, a collaborator of Roberto Salis, reads a letter from Ilaria. «I wholeheartedly thank those who supported me in Italy», begins the thirty-nine-year-old teacher. “I still have months, perhaps years, ahead of me in this black hole, I don’t want to escape a fair trial but defend myself in a fair proceeding”, continues the text. Salis explains the reasons for his candidacy: “I was lucky enough not to be forgotten, but similar situations are commonplace, which is why I accepted the candidacy.” She, the teacher, says she took the field “for the protection of fundamental rights”. Then Father Salis takes the floor, not sparing political barbs. “In recent months I have found those who have ignored me, those who have slammed the door in my face and those who have defamed me,” he insists. Salis, however, extends an olive branch to Democratic Party secretary Elly Schlein, who had first had the idea of nominating the teacher, but received a refusal. «I also found people who gave me a hand: among these is Elly Schlein. He didn’t offer me anything, but he said he was available to help me.” Roberto Salis returns to the issue of the candidacy offered by the Dems: «I took it upon myself to report the availability that had been offered to me. But Ilaria is running with Avs because it is the party most in line with his ideas.” In short, Ilaria preferred Bonelli and Fratoianni to Schlein. But Roberto wants to make peace with the leader of the Nazarene, after attacking her in an interview with Il Foglio on 3 April. “Don’t throw my daughter’s name to the winds,” Salis’ father said. Which asks Italian artists to «depict Ilaria with an image». “My daughter is in a regime worse than 41 bis and she risks 24 years for a crime that in Italy would be defined as minor,” insists the far-left activist’s father.
Fratoianni does not hide: «If elected, Ilaria Salis would have immunity and could be released from prison». Bonelli elevates Salis to a symbol: «she is a candidate to defend the rule of law». The leader of the Italian Left sees the quorum being exceeded: «Salis is a candidate for the North West, there we will exceed the threshold». But not all pollsters agree on the Salis effect. According to a survey by Emg, carried out between 21 and 24 April, Avs is still at 3.7%.
Below the threshold, despite the flag candidacy of the activist detained in Hungary.
