Last speech to Italians tonight on TV by the President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano for the traditional end-of-year message.
In practice, Napolitano's will also be a sort of farewell message to the country because in a few months his successor will be elected by Parliament after a glorious seven-year period spent at the Quirinale. Napolitano will be remembered for the authority of his presidency and also for the political and institutional masterpiece with which, in full compliance with the rules, he paved the way for the caretaker government of Mario Monti after the disaster of Silvio Berlusconi who in November 2011 had brought Italy to the brink of bankruptcy.
Italy's reaction to the economic difficulties will lead Napolitano to appeal to the country to have confidence in its future, but the Head of State will certainly not fail to ask the ruling class for great attention to the weakest social groups while respecting the rigorous policy that avoided default.
Finally, Napolitano will not fail to recommend serenity for the imminent electoral campaign at the end of which Napolitano himself will confer the task of forming the new government.
