Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, 85, had three Forza Italia ministers within the coalition supporting Mario Draghi. Now, he only has one left. His decision to follow the electoral impulses of the League and betray the government of the former president of the European Central Bank (ECB) is already taking its toll. Il Cavaliere , from his new Roman residence in Villa Grande, yesterday received the news that two of his ministers were leaving his party: Regional Affairs, Mariastella Gelmini, and Public Administration, Renato Brunetta, one of his closest collaborators during twenty years.
It is a very hard blow for the tycoon, and Brunetta's words were harsher to justify her decision, accusing Forza Italia of "having betrayed its history." "Those who have chosen to put the interest of one party before the interest of the country, at such a serious moment, are irresponsible," he said in a statement, accusing his party of having bowed to the "worst sovereignist populism."
Brunetta received much applause for her courage, including from members of the 5 Star Movement (M5E). Senator Andrea Cangini, who disobeyed and voted for Draghi, also tore up Berlusconi's ID. It remains to be seen whether those disappointed by the approach of Forza Italia – which is inside the EPP – to the League will now approach the Democratic Party (PD) or other centrist parties, such as Azione, led by former minister Carlo Calenda, or Italia Viva , the formation of Matteo Renzi.
Years ago Berlusconi, who says he is ready to campaign again and even go on television, was being devoured by the push of Matteo Salvini and Giorgia Meloni, younger leaders who have won the game with populist messages. "The management of the day yesterday was the representation that the League has crushed us and the final blow to a history of more than twenty years of liberal, reformist and pro-European battles," criticized Gelmini, another old collaborator of Berlusconi. Many hoped that the old alligator's experience of Italian politics would prevent Salvini from giving in to his electoral instincts. Instead, yesterday the leaguer was already announcing his electoral program: lower taxes, a kind of tax pardon and new decrees to curb immigration, among other proposals.
Yesterday, the Renzians won another addition to their ranks, that of the deputy Maria Soave Alemanno, who left the M5E. It is possible that many other grillini disappointed by the way the match is taking will follow him in the days to come.
Another consequence of the precipitation of the Italian crisis will be the questioning of the coalition that Enrico Letta's PD was preparing to fight the right in the next elections. The Italian electoral system rewards coalitions, and one of Letta's objectives was to weave a broad alliance of progressive parties to try to counteract the polls that give a wide victory to the union between Liga, Hermanos de Italia and Forza Italia in the next elections. Within this possible pact was the M5E, which is now in the air. Some members of the Social Democrats are already telling journalists that they want nothing to do with Giuseppe Conte in the upcoming elections.
"There are parties that yesterday made elections of pure power, that have nothing to do with their history and these decisions will be paid for with the voters because the voters look at what the country needs," repeated yesterday Letta, one of the biggest defenders of the continuity of the former president of the ECB.
