It's a real shame that there is only one star player like Mario Draghi, because of SuperMario, like FIRSTonline has already got to writetwo would be needed: one for the Quirinale and one for Palazzo Chigi. Unfortunately you can't have everything in life and within a month you will have to choose: better Draghi at the Quirinale or better Draghi at Palazzo Chigi? Better 7 years of Draghi at the Presidency of the Council or better 15 months of Draghi at the helm of the Government?
Be aware that the choice is not quantitative and the two options (Quirinale and Palazzo Chigi) are not interchangeable. The former minister and Republican leader explained it well a few days ago George La Malfa on Rest of the Pug: “With regard to the election of the new President of the Republic, we risk compromising what has been done so far” because “15 months can make a difference between recovery and debt crisis” depending on whether we continue or derail the path of reforms started by this Government.
With all due respect for Parliament's choices and for the legitimate aspirations of the current Premier, what common-sense Italian wouldn't like to see a civil servants of Mario Draghi's level at the Presidency of the Republic? It would be the natural continuation of great Presidents such as Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, Giorgio Napolitano, Sergio Mattarella.
Unfortunately, however, today's problem is another and the real question that must be asked is not only who would be the best Head of State but who would be able, in the 15 months remaining to the natural end of the legislature in 2023, to reach the hundreds of objectives of the PNRR, to carry out the reforms and to reassure Europe that we are not joking and that Italy is perfectly capable of honor commitments which he took on with Draghi and which are worth the beauty of 200 billion euros?
Italy has ahead of him a unique and unrepeatable opportunity to collect a lot of money and carry out the reforms needed to turn around and modernize the country and finally take the road to high and lasting growth. And, although Draghi states with a bit of coquetry that the system to push Italy along the path of reform and growth has now been built, one Premier is not worth the other. This is the crucial point that must also guide the choices for the Quirinale.
"Seven years of Draghi as President of the Republic - La Malfa is still speaking - are equivalent to seven years of Cassese, Amato, even Cartabia and many others" possible candidates for the Quirinale. But for Palazzo Chigi it is not the same thing and, even excluding the unfortunate hypothesis of early elections (unfortunate because at that point goodbye reforms precisely at the decisive moment), who would really be able to lead the Government with Draghi's authority and ability in the crucial phase of implementation of the PNRR?
It is from here - and that is from the real national interest - that we must start to evaluate the choices that will mature for the Quirinale and for Palazzo Chigi. The others are chatter or the usual cloying palace games.
