Italian Pavilion by Aldo Grasso | If the club takes the place of the foil

In the language of politics, the cudgel is tolerated (the vulgarities of Gen. Vannacci, the praise of the X Mas, the casual use of the word “bitch” by the prime minister) but not the foil. The Minister of Business and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso sued «Il Foglio» and «Il Riformista» feeling defamed for the use of an «original but denigrating nickname»: Adolf USSRa happy mot d’esprit to signal a government imprint of statist foot.

Politics is not afraid of incorrect language, on the contrary. The use of vulgarity with offensive intent is a historical feature of political contention: the so-called trash talking it is a strategy that serves to build the loyalty of one’s electorate (“he is spontaneous like us”). What is worrying is the total disappearance of irony from public discoursethe latest civil weapon to fight dogmatism and boastfulness.

There is no longer room for style because political discourse loves the zero degree of language, it tends to simplify: communication, which is structurally modest and not very cultivated, is more controllable. As Giulio Giorello wrote in the «Corriere», «politics makes the word heavy while the word should be free to dance».

Yes to vaffa, no to wit, to humour, to nonsense which contrasts the immoderate times of politics with the elegant times of smiles.