Only Matteo Salvini and Elly Schlein are missing from the roll call, both busy in Milan for the electoral campaign, but the other leaders are all there in the Quirinale Gardens. Giorgia Meloni is fresh from the FdI demonstration in Piazza del Popolo. Obligatory change of clothes and, in total white, off to the cuirassiers’ hall to attend the traditional concert for Republic Day. In the gardens the premier is the most awaited. Handshakes, selfies, exchanges of jokes. The former mayor of Rome, Francesco Rutelli, approaches: “You’re having fun, huh?”. “Let’s say I’m not bored, and it goes between not being bored and having fun”, he replies with the Prime Minister’s smile. There was also an exchange of words with the former president of the Chamber, Luciano Violante: “I haven’t seen you for a long time – he jokes – we hang out a lot, you and I”. Meloni becomes serious again when the many reporters present ask her about the European elections: “I would like to confirm the political data. A percentage? I won’t say it even under torture, I’m superstitious”, she cuts it short.
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The prime minister offers a toast to the Republic with Mattarella and the presidents of the Chamber and Senate Lorenzo Fontana and Ignazio La Russa on the terrace overlooking Rome.
Then Mattarella greets his guests. Many handshakes, many “thank yous” and just as many “hold on, president” are the soundtrack to his walk. “You are a great person, a huge thank you for how you represent us. The first to greet you is Donatella Versace. “I love you”, Renato Zero almost hugs him. “We saw each other recently in New York”, Roberto greets him Bolle. When he sees Marco Tardelli it is the Head of State who approaches: “The other evening I saw a piece of that magical moment”, he says referring to the goal of the Italian striker in the Italy-Germany of the ’82 World Cup Colle shakes hands with politicians and exes and welcomes them with a smile (among others, Giuseppe Conte, Matteo Piantedosi, Maurizio Leo, Luigi Di Maio, Giovanni Donzelli approach) but it is with the physicist Giorgio Parisi, with Lino Banfi or Fabio Rovazzi to focus more. YouTuber takes a photo and remembers the event we did together on the Constitution: “It was nice, but today I’m more elegant”, he jokes “How nice the president passes among people”, he smiles Marta Cartabia. Mattarella then meets Diego Bianchi, aka Zoro. “See you on Friday”, says the head of state, a loyal viewer of ‘Propaganda’. “I didn’t have the courage to tell him that there’s no episode on Friday”, the host’s confession after the Colle’s tenant passed by. Current events, however, call: “Thank you for your support and the strong statement he made,” says Ukrainian ambassador Yaroslav Melnyk emotionally. Claudio Baglioni greets the Head of State and gives him an appointment to see him tomorrow, he will sing the anthem before the parade at the Imperial Forums. Massimo D’Alema is among the last to say goodbye to him. “I’ll bother you for half an hour, do you have it?, he asks. “With pleasure, always willingly for you”, replies Mattarella, before returning to the Palace.
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The other guests still remain to admire the splendid sunset over Rome. There are the ministers Antonio Tajani, Francesco Lollobrigida with his wife Arianna Meloni, Carlo Nordio, Daniela Santanchè, Gilberto Picchetto Fratin, Adolfo Urso, Elisabetta Casellati, Gennaro Sangiuliano, Andrea Abodi, Matteo Piantedosi, Elvira Calderone. Among the leaders present Giuseppe Conte with his partner Olivia Palladino, Matteo Renzi with his wife Agnese, Carlo Calenda with his wife Viola, Angelo Bonelli and Nicola Fratoianni, Maurizio Lupi. Representing the Democratic Party are the group leaders Francesco Boccia and Chiara Braga and Dario Franceschini. For the League Edoardo Rixi, Claudio Durigon and Gianmarco Centinaio.
Among the looks, total white predominates but there is no shortage of colours, from Mara Carfagna’s blue to Donatella Versace’s light blue, and Labor Minister Elvira Calderone in bronze. Shoes are what put women in difficulty the most. Cobblestones and gravel put the guests to the test, Meloni complains a bit but manages to get to the end of the evening on her stiletto heels. The president of the Anti-Mafia commission Chiara Colosimo, who is pregnant, solves everything with a ‘heel stretcher’. It’s almost 9pm when the guests begin to leave the building, in time to go watch the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.
