Bruno Vespa is furious after Rai decided to cancel the television duel between Giorgia Meloni and Elly Schlein. The historic host of Door to door he was interviewed by Tg1 and did not hide his regret for the missed opportunity. “For the first time in the history of Italy, the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition are two women and we can’t bring them together due to a series of bureaucratic quibbles?” asks Vespa in a visibly irritated tone. The televised confrontation between Meloni and Schlein was set for May 23rd, but was then canceled because it was in violation of a Rai Supervisory resolution. «Pluralism?», asks Vespa again in the interview with Tg1, «are you coming to tell us, who were born precisely to ensure pluralism and who measure people’s sighs to be within the law, so much so that we even become ridiculous at times?» .
The stop to the TV duel
The spokesperson for the party leaders’ protest was Barbara Floridia, president of the Rai Supervisory Commission, who asked for the intervention of the Communications Regulatory Authority. In the letter sent to Agcom, Floridia points out what was written in a resolution approved by the Rai Supervisory Authority on 9 April 2024. In particular, the reference of the president of the Supervisory Commission is aimed at article 6, which commits Rai to adopt « the formula of comparison between a number of participants between three and six, and normally, if possible, between four participants”. To organize a debate in view of the European elections, therefore, public television should invite politicians from at least three different parties. And don’t settle for a “direct clash” between the head of the government and the leader of the opposition.
The escape to other networks
When the possible stop to the duel between Meloni and Schlein moderated by Bruno Vespa began to emerge, other television networks stepped forward to host a broader discussion between all the party leaders. Enrico Mentana, director of Tg La7, proposed organizing two television debates with all the political leaders of the main parties. In the last few hours, the proposal from Sky Tg24 was also added, with director Giuseppe De Bellis offering to moderate the discussion during the event Live in Milan of May 27th.
