In view of the European elections on 8 and 9 June, the representatives of the coalition United States of Europe, led by Italia Viva, made an appeal to voters, underlining the crucial importance of a united and strong Europe. The coordinator of Italia Viva Velletri, Gianfranco Cestrilli, emphasized the importance of a Europe with a single voice, especially in delicate moments, and underlined the quality of the candidates on the list in the constituency.
Giuliano Cugini, group leader of Italia Viva in the Velletri municipal council, expressed confidence in the resumption of politics as an act of civil conscience, declaring that it is essential to trust people like Matteo Renzi to counteract the current mistrust and re-establish significant relationships with the territory and its citizens.
Fausto Servadio, councilor for public works of the Municipality of Velletri, reiterated the need to seek unity in Europe, and invited different ideas to be compared to find better solutions, praising the candidates Marietta Tidei and Gerardo Stefanelli for their experience and commitment on the territory. In doing so, the former mayor of Veliterno spoke of competence and good administration, praising the candidates as excellent representatives in public administration and government and invited people to support Matteo Renzi and the other candidates by talking to friends and relatives to convince them to vote. Servadio highlighted the need for active participation despite abstentionism and disappointment towards politics.
During the day, the last one before electoral silenceMatteo Renzi, from his office in the Senate, published a video on social media to make a formal commitment to voters, illustrating the key points of his program for the European Parliament: “Economic growth. What does it mean? More money for families and less constraints for businesses. We created the 80 euros, Industry 4.0, the Jobs Act in Italy. Now we have to bring these things to Brussels.”
Renzi then added: “Europe cannot just be the Europe of bureaucrats, it is the Europe of the social, of the third sector, of healthcare. The culture. Without roots there is no future and so if we want the Erasmus generation to call Europe home, we need to invest in cultural identity and in laboratories and universities and start-ups and venture capital. The just peace. We need common defense, the European army, but also European diplomacy. Otherwise Europe will no longer count for anything and Italy’s voice is needed in Brussels.”
Finally, he highlighted the need to change European rules: “We can’t stand this right of veto anymore, but we also need citizens to directly elect the president of the European Commission. For all these reasons I believe in the United States of Europe and I ask you to put the cross on a United States of Europe symbol and write Renzi. In the event of election, I, Matteo Renzi, choose to represent Italy in Brussels. This is my commitment. I am the only one who, if elected, will really bring Italy’s voice to Europe. I signed it. Now it’s your turn”.
