Banking risk: has Minister Giorgetti truly become neutral, or is he still interventionist? Too much ambiguity surrounding Intesa's takeover bid for MPS

Sometimes a leopard can change its spots, but not its vices. This is the doubt that arises when listening to the latest parliamentary statements by the Northern League's Minister of Economy, Giancarlo Giorgetti, on the bank risk. First he assures that, on the occasion of the takeover bid launched by Intesa Sanpaolo on Monte dei Paschi, "the Government will be neutral" but then the minister concludes by maintaining that the constraints placed at the time by the Golden Power on the takeover bid of Unicredit on Bpm bank They could also resurface for the bid by Italy's leading bank for the Sienese bank. "Possible requirements," the minister specifies. But requirements to do what? "To guarantee assistance to SMEs and the presence of competition." Essentially, it's the distribution of bank branches that Giorgetti is focusing on. But it wouldn't be up to the Bank of Italy and the ECB on one side and on the otherAntitrust Authority on the other hand, take care of it? What does the Government have to do with it? It's a sin to think badly, but, he said Giulio AndreottiSometimes you get it right. It may be a coincidence, but the counter-offer for Monte del Paschi was submitted by Banco BPM, an institution that has always been close to the minister's heart, both because of its strong presence in Northern League areas and because of the dream of a third banking hub, which the Intesa Sanpaolo takeover bid would shatter. In short, is the government a referee or a player? Who knows.