Beppe Grillo against Giuseppe Conte, round 2. This time it is the M5S president who strikes, after the guarantor’s blasts (“He vaporized the M5S”) during his theater show in Fiesole: «The fate of the Movement is not in Grillo’s hands. It is in the hands of an entire community of men and women who will decide the future at the constituent assembly next September”, attacks the leader. «I would add that this reflection has already begun, with the joint assembly and the national council. Everyone spoke and we referred the decisions to the constituent assembly.”
With the founder «we spoke for a long time, an hour and a half, we joked, we laughed, so I left him in excellent shape, absolutely involved and lively. Then, let’s let him make the jokes he wants. To the one he did on Berlusconi, I prefer the one on Draghi Grillino, which I found more original even if more harmful for the 5 Star Movement community.”
A reply from Conte who always touches a dividing point between the two. It would have been another quote from Draghi – the M5S leader’s apology for joining the technical government in the interview with Il Fatto – that triggered Grillo, who would have read in the words of the former prime minister a failure to take responsibility for the defeat to the Europeans.
What happens at the top has indirect repercussions among the elected representatives (and the base) of the 5 Star Movement. The verbal clash between guarantor and leader is reverberated in the groups parliamentarians, with poisonous comments both from the Contians (more numerous) and from those who sided with the founder. “They have to be careful not to break the rope, otherwise we’ll leave.” a Contian snaps. And there are those who reply: «Go ahead. Without money and without symbol, which is Beppe’s. While the 2 per thousand funds go to the association.”
Rags fly. There are those who try to preach silence, “because otherwise we would all hurt ourselves”, even if – the same person admits – “there is a need for a turning point and not in biblical times”. The chaos and hypotheses circulating are multiple and, at times, antithetical. Even on the vitriolic jokes between Grillo and Conte there are opposing positions. «Effective replication». “No, he showed that his nerves were exposed.” Tension remains high. A heated situation that could soon be uncontrollable. The leaders broaden the front of the conflict. Both Conte and Stefano Patuanelli (with a tweet) also involve Virginia Raggi in the brawl. «What does it mean to return to the origins? Does it mean restart, rewind? The political and social context has completely changed. If you can’t interpret it, you’re increasingly out of touch”, says Conte commenting on the interview with the former mayor of Rome with the Corriere.
To those who asked him if the chosen camp is the progressive one, the M5S leader replies: “absolutely, then if anyone has right-wing inclinations they will draw the consequences”. Words that lead to Raggi’s rejoinder: «I personally committed myself against Casapound and Forza Nuova. I did not fail to criticize the government with the League. I believe I deserve respect”. And again: «Long live the comparison! Even animated, as long as it is respectful of everyone. The M5S needs inclusion and unity, not division. No to stadium fans like the right does.”
In this sentence the M5S is divided into three macrogroups: Contians, old guard movements and Orthodox, numerous historical current that could shift the internal balance. Roberto Fico plays a fundamental role in this match. The former president of the Chamber was in the square with Conte, but in recent days he has also been in close contact with Grillo. Will it be his turn to act as peacemaker?
