A few weeks before the vote for the new one European Parliament we must convince ourselves: there are two Italys for two different conceptions ofEurope. There is the pro-European, anti-sovereign and anti-populist Italy of the President Sergio Mattarella, of the former prime minister and former President of the ECB, Mario Draghi, of the former prime minister Enrico Letta and the new Governor of the Bank of Italy, Fabio Panetta. Then there is the Italy that does not believe in Europe or believes in it every other day: it is the one of the prime minister Giorgia Meloni, of the leader of the League, Matteo Salvini, of the secretary of the Democratic Party, Elly Schlein and the former prime minister and leader of the Five Star Movement, Giuseppe Conte.
Italy's shocking general abstentionism on the new Stability pact has become the watershed of the two Italys, between the Italy that makes us proud in the world and theItaly of small-scale politics.
The first Italy has long understood that the challenges of our times - from the energy transition to the digital one and the demographic crisis - are too great to be resolved on a national level and ask for more Europe, but a Europe profoundly different from that of today , radically reformed and finally more united. The second Italy is, on the contrary, that of small-scale politics that is unable to go beyond its own short-sighted electoral interests and has never been able to express a vision capable of equipping the country to face the challenges of new times. Until now, we knew that Meloni, Salvini and Conte belonged to the little Italy which is based on the "parallel convergences of populist opposites" of the right and the far left but the surreal abstention of the Democratic Party on the new Stability Pact and, previously, the oscillations, on the arms to Ukraine, forces us to take note that Elly Schlein has also signed up for Italy. It is incredible that to garner one more vote the secretary of the Democratic Party is ready to bury the reformist and pro-European soul of a party that was once a bastion of democracy and which is now the reign of confusion and nefarious subservience to the Five Star Movement .
Mattarella, Draghi, Letta and Panetta are the expression of Italy that makes us proud in the world
Completely different music with Mattarella, Draghi, Letta, Panetta, expressions of that Italy that honors us and is honored throughout the world. “Europe - the Head of State said just a few days ago - is not just a geographical space and it is not just an area of desirable collaboration between States. It is more, it is a common culture, values, fields of ideal consonance, of principles of freedom, of law, of respect for every single person, and it is a promise of peace. But profound reforms are needed." This is what the former Prime Minister and former President of the ECB, Mario Draghi, will also support with great passion in his Report on Competitiveness, according to which the world is changing rapidly and it is time for Europe to catch up with profound reforms, better if approved by all 27 countries that are part of it but also only "with those who are in it", in the event of insurmountable disagreements. We need “radical change” and to achieve “the transformation of the entire European economy”. The Report on the single market by former Prime Minister Enrico Letta is along the same lines: while the party of which he was secretary until recently is unable to give up short-sighted electoral tactics and abstains on the new Stability Pact, losing the opportunity to represent the true pro-European and anti-sovereign alternative to Meloni and the Five Star Movement, he, Letta, calls on Europe to join forces at least on energy and common defense and, like Draghi, receives the warm appreciation of President Mattarella and of the French President Emmanuel Macron.
Panetta's anti-sovereignist surprise. 800 billion a year to finance transitions
The surprise of the last few days is the splendid lectio magistralis of the new Governor of the Bank of Italy, Fabio Panetta, on the occasion of his honorary degree from the Roma Tre University. And to think that Meloni wanted him to be Minister of Economy…. Panetta's was a hymn to the strengthening of the EU ("it is an obligation"), which requires at least 800 billion a year to finance transitions and which also requires more far-sighted management of migratory flows, seasoned - as he comments "The Foglio” – from “many spankings to anti-Europeanists”. His conclusion with the quote from Luigi Einaudi is more pertinent than ever: "The problem is not between independence and union, it is between existing united or disappearing". Exactly what Macron said in his speech on 25 April at the Sorbonne: "Europe, wake up because you risk dying".
Meloni and the right in Europe
Faced with such lucid and far-sighted demonstrations on the Europe to come (or at least so we hope), we will see what Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will say today in Pescara as she opens the electoral campaign for the European elections in June. But the idea that you want to go to the demonstration of the Spanish extremists of Vox on May 19th is not a good idea and we hope you think again. And what about Salvini who presents himself to Europe, which he has always hated, by nominating General Vannacci? But even the rabbit-like attitude towards Europe (Stability Pact and ESM) of the Foreign Minister and leader of Forza Italia, Antonio Tajani, is disconcerting to say the least.
In short, two Italys for two different conceptions of Europe: the first has never forgotten the federalist dream of Altiero Spinelli, the second, in its more serious expressions such as that of Salvini, dreams of the same Europe as Putin and counts Putin among his supporters also Giuseppe Conte (“Arms to Ukraine? No thanks”).
