The former prime minister and founder of the Ulivo Romano Prodi, a few days before the constitutional referendum of 4 December, reveals his cards and gives his endorsement in favor of the Yes: "Even if the proposed reforms certainly do not have the depth and necessary clarity, however due to my personal history and the possible consequences on the outside, I feel I have to make my yes public, in the hope that this will help strengthen our democratic rules above all through the reform of the electoral law".
This was stated by the former Premier in a note issued in the afternoon. After having avoided answering journalists' questions for months, Prodi has therefore decided to express himself, as has been done by other illustrious exponents of the centre-left.
“I just want to remind you – continued Prodi – that my personal story has been all about overcoming the old decisions that wanted to exist despite the epochal changes underway. This was the Olive tree. My political story has identified itself in an attempt to give this country a finally efficient and governing democracy: this is the majority and tendentially bipolar model that the reformist forces have shared and supported with me".
The founder of the Ulivo, announcing his vote on the constitutional reform, therefore decided to remove a few pebbles from his shoe: "There are those who wanted to ignore and even deny that history, as if things always started afresh, with an exclusive leadership lonely and exclusive. And there are those who then exploited that story by claiming for themselves the design that he had thwarted ”.
Finally, Prodi concluded his note with a quip: “A naturally respectful yes to anyone who will make a different choice. Given that in life, even the most painful decisions must possibly be accompanied by a minimum of irony, as I write these lines I am reminded of my mother who, when I was a child I tried to want too much, looked at me and said: 'Romano, remember that in life it is better to suck a bone than a stick'”.
