The exploratory mandate has arrived, but with very strict stakes. The president of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, has entrusted to the number one of the Senate, Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, the task of verifying whether it is possible to form a majority in Parliament. But not just any: the second state office will have to definitively ascertain whether a government can arise from the collaboration of centre-right and Movimento 5 Stelle, i.e. the same majority that elected the presidents of the Chambers and of the special parliamentary commissions. Not only that: Alberti Casellati will have to complete this task in two days. At the latest on Friday he will have to return to Colle with a yes or no to the agreement.
Read the note from the Quirinale.
Precisely for this reason the calendar is packed: at 16.30 pm today, April 18, Casellati will meet the representatives of the Five Star Movement, at 17.30 pm the Lega, at 18.30 pm Forza Italia, at 19.30 pm Fratelli d'Italia.
The meetings will be held in Palazzo Giustiniani, but the road already seems to be all uphill. The coalition will present itself to the consultations divided. Matteo Salvini confirms this: "We will go to Casellati alone", pointing out that among other things he will not participate personally: "I have a plane for Catania, the group leaders will go to the consultations", explained Salvini leaving the Chamber after a greeting passage to a conference organized by Forza Italia.
"I have received from the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella an exploratory mandate that I intend to carry out with the same spirit of service that animated my role as president of the Senate - said Alberti Casellati at the end of the meeting with the head of state at the Quirinale - I have thanked President Mattarella for his trust, which I will keep constantly updated. He will carry out the meetings very quickly ”.
In truth, his mission seems to have failed from the start. During the two rounds of consultations that took place in recent weeks, the Quirinale was unable to pass the grillini vetoes against Forza Italia and Silvio and Berlusconi which have so far prevented the birth of a centre-right-M5S government. And nothing suggests that the forces in the field are willing to break the deadlock within the next 48 hours. Indeed, in the intentions of the center-right, and above all of the League, the consultations should even cross over the regional elections of Molise on 22 April and those of Friuli Venezia Giulia on 29 April.
“For the League, the appointment of President Casellati is positive – reads a note from Matteo Salvini's party – because the perimeter of a centre-right-5stelle government is exactly that decided by the Italian people. The League is ready to govern even today, as long as the others stop arguing".
But there are no openings from the M5S: “We will say the same things to Casellati as we said to the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella. There is no background - Vito Crimi, Senator Grillino and president of the Special Commission at Palazzo Madama, said on the Radio Anch'Io radio show this morning - The veto on Silvio Berlusconi will remain, because Silvio Berlusconi and Forza Italia represent non-change. We want to give a boost to the way of doing politics”.
If Alberti Casellati, as is likely, will return to Colle without a solution, at which point Mattarella should entrust a new exploratory assignment, this time to the President of the Chamber, the pentastellato Roberto Fico.
If the stalemate continues, the hypothesis of a government of truce or an institutional government, for whose presidency the super partes figure of the former constitutional judge is appearing Sabino Cassese.
In any case, the Quirinale clearly let the parties know that before the European elections in spring 2019, it does not intend to dissolve the chambers again.
