This time the government majority held, not without controversy and stomach aches. In the fourth ballot with an absolute majority, the Northern League Lorenzo Fontana was elected Speaker of the Chamber, becoming the second youngest president in history after Irene Pivetti.
Fontana obtained 222 votes. Considering that in Montecitorio the centre-right coalition can count on 237 out of a total of 400, this means that only 15 votes have been "lost along the way" in the Chamber, provided that even today there has not been a hand in the opposition which yesterday contributed significantly decisive in the election of La Russa.
Who is Lorenzo Fontana, the new president of the Chamber
Lorenzo Fontana, deputy secretary of the League, was vice president of the Chamber, but also minister of the family and European affairs with the Conte government. He is 42 years old and is one of the exponents of the most extremist wing of the Carroccio. Veronese, ultra-Catholic, ultra-conservative and Eurosceptic, Fontana is known for his radical positions on abortion, civil unions, LGBTQ+ rights, asylum seekers and woman rights. In the last few days, since his name came out as a possible new Speaker of the Chamber, his utterances on the Russia, some of which date back to 2014, the year he went in Crimea as an international observer on the occasion of the annexation referendum called by Moscow. Although the referendum has not been recognized by most countries and has been declared invalid by the UN, Fontana has sided in favor of annexation. “The people of Crimea feel that they have returned to the parent company, the EU should take a step back on sanctions on Russia,” he said at the time. On the sanctions against Moscow, several photos of him wearing an anti-sanctions shirt are remembered. Second, Fontana, finally, the "Russian spiritual awakening” can be a “light for us Westerners, immersed in a society dominated by ethical relativism”.
Fontana's positions have been much criticized by the opposition. After his election came the answer, ambiguous to tell the truth, of Matteo Salvini: “It's not a day for controversy: being a Catholic is not a disvalue. Pro-Putin? Fontana is pro Italy,” said the leader of the League.
The Meloni-Salvini axis is consolidated
For days, the election of the Speaker of the Chamber had been considered a first test to verify the holding of the majority. After what happened yesterday in the Senate, with Forza Italia who decided not to vote for La Russa to express his "unease" for the distribution of seats that Meloni is carrying out in view of the formation of the new government, this election has become essential to understand what the future balance of the government will be. The indication that has arrived in the last two days from the Chambers therefore seems to be that of a Salvini-Meloni axis, that the presidencies have divided, with Berlusconi pawing to try to get out of a "marginalization" which, given the results of the elections (Forza Italia obtained only 0,6% less than Lega in the Senate and 0,7% less in the Chamber), the president of FI considers unjust and unjustified.
In view of the consultations, which are expected to start on 19 or 20 October, the game moves to the ministers and undersecretaries and the message launched by Berlusconi is clear: "Today Forza Italia votes for him (Fontana, ed.) not to waste any more time, but they have to pass by us. Giorgia Meloni cannot think of going ahead with the votes of the opposition ”, said the force leader to him according to reports Republic. Berlusconi continues to underline how much Forza Italia is indispensable for maintaining the centre-right majority: Meloni doesn't have the numbers to govern alone and to keep the government standing, the League alone is not enough. The support of Forza Italia, therefore, will have to be duly rewarded, otherwise there will be no majority.
Calculator in hand, the Knight is right. In the Chamber, the center-right coalition can count on 237 deputies against a majority set at 201: 119 deputies for Fdi, 66 for Lega, 45 for Forza Italia, 7 for Noi Moderati. In the Senate, however, the majority is equal to 104 (also considering the six life senators). Brothers of Italy has 66 senators, the League 29, Forza Italia 18, Noi Moderati 2. The total is 115. In both cases, without the votes of FI the numbers are not enough.
