First internal grain for the Renzi government, with the Democratic Party divided and the New centre-right determined to build a wall. The case concerns Antonio Gentile, a Ncd senator who has just been appointed Undersecretary for Infrastructure, who allegedly put pressure on the leaders of the newspaper "L'Ora di Calabria" to hide the news relating to an investigation against his son.
A large part of the Democratic Party is calling for Gentile's resignation, while Angelino Alfano's party takes a solid stand in his defense. According to Rosy Bindi, chairman of the Anti-Mafia commission, "the prime minister and the minister of the interior" must take responsibility for revoking the appointment of the undersecretary, who "cannot remain in his place". In the next few hours, the 5 Star Movement should present a motion of individual no confidence in Gentile. The League is also on a war footing.
The self-defense of the person concerned was not long in coming: “I have never asked anyone to block news of alleged investigations that would concern my son and of which he is unaware – said the Ncd senator -. The mud machine that started in my Region has also contaminated the big newspapers. I believe in their good faith and for this reason I feel it is my duty to clarify the unjust and defamatory accusations of which I have been the victim for 10 days. I am transparent and with me my family is”.
Maurizo Sacconi, president of the senators of the New Centre-right, argues that "the Gentile non-case arises from the usual suspects who for twenty years have spoiled Italian democracy with the systematic use of prejudice and suspicion towards the political opponent of the moment ”.
For Gaetano Quagliariello, on the other hand, "the controversy that is developing denotes superficiality and unawareness of the headlong rush that is taking place at this rate towards barbarism and the enslavement of politics to operations of a different nature". Another party companion of Gentile, Fabrizio Cicchitto, increases the dose: "We do not understand the reasons for the attacks on Senator Gentile, who is involved in an affair clearly determined by political and personal clashes of a local nature".
