The contortions in the PDL are not finished yet and it is known that the tailslapping of wounded animals is always possible and can be very dangerous. Especially now that the Giunta has pronounced itself in favor of the forfeiture of Berlusconi as a senator. And yet, the fact that twenty years is drawing to a close is something more than an impression. The Knight played a tough political battle, using all possible weapons: from the resignation of deputies and senators, then replaced by that of ministers. All to try to provoke a government crisis and early elections, with the hope of being able to immerse himself once again (perhaps as a candidate, playing on a desperate lengthening of the times of his decadence as senator) in an electoral campaign to overturn a table now cluttered with definitive or almost definitive sentences.
The result is a defeat across the board: the resignation proved to be a threat "to a non-domino", given that he no longer controlled neither the ministers nor a large part of the parliamentarians. There was no government crisis. Indeed, Letta has strengthened and has even taken the luxury of marginalizing Berlusconi and indicating as irrelevant the tragicomedy of his vote of confidence announced surprisingly in a very brief speech, in which the desperation of a face counted more than words. Yes, because the Knight lost the game this time especially at home. Within the party of which he had been and he still considered himself the absolute master. This time politics has taken its revenge on the one who had made a sort of ethical catechism out of the declared anti-politics. And it is even more humiliating for the Knight that this time politics has presented him with the bill under the faces of the Cicchittos and Alfanos. Of those he, at best, accused of not having the quid.
And so now to Berlusconi, who in about ten to twenty days could be definitively excluded by the Senate either because the courtroom has approved what has already been decided by the Giunta, or because the Milan Court of Appeal has already established the length of the additional sentence ( suspension from public office for at least a year), in these hours all that remained was to say: "I'm tired, I've decided to leave the party to Angelino". Although his former protégé asked him for the marginalization of all hawks, who however are now called "loyalists": from Santanchè to Brunetta, to put in their place the former doves who however are now called "splitters". But what splinters are they not yet, given that they are working to obtain total control of the party which would continue to be called Pdl, leaving the prestigious symbol of Forza Italia available to the political future of those who up to the last (?) have decided to follow Berlusconi's strategy, which he himself would no longer share.
As can be seen, such is the confusion of what remains, after the crumbling of the twenty years. And the chronicles confirm it, halfway between gossip and behind the scenes, which describe the beautiful rooms of palazzo Grazioli as a sort of land for everyone and no man where Verdini sends out Alfano, then readmitted by the Knight, before Signorina Pascale sees to putting Verdini himself out. Scenes from the end of the lower empire, which should have little to do with politics. But so be it. It is from here that the centre-right has to restart.
Will Angelino and his associates be able to restore credibility and democratic dignity to the Italian centre-right? Many count on it, from Monti to Casini to Montezemolo. It is no coincidence that in recent days authoritative columnists have rushed to give Alfano, Cicchitto and even Formigoni the license of true moderates. An award to the intentions of these "splitters" to finally want to be in harmony with the European EPP, a party that has always put up with Berlusconi's burden with difficulty. Nevertheless the accounts with the Knight are not completely closed. So much so that he said that in any case he fought to the last minute for party unity (a claim that seems rash if one thinks of the last few weeks) and that he does not want to remove the disturbance, perhaps accepting a somewhat more secluded, also the effect of what was decided by the Giunta. We will see. And above all we will see in the facts whether Alfano and the others will be able, perhaps by finding new and appropriate alliances (there is a lot of space in the centre, almost a void) to finally assume the physiognomy of true moderates.
And there is also the problem of how the Pd in the congressional phase will bear the weight of a more politically cohesive majority due to the irrelevance (at least that) of Berlusconi, but which certainly creates some problems, given that Alfano, Cicchitto and Formigoni are not certainly Giolitti, and not even Malagodi. But as they say: it's politics. And now it starts again. Let's hope with some news, perhaps by implementing a good stability law and seriously accelerating the electoral law as well.
