Political make-up

«In just 10 years a true political miracle, Meloni and his party above every threshold of prediction, approval ratings through the roof, finally a compact and cohesive government that Italian voters en masse support, the triad has clear ideas and projects concrete, close to people's problems"... In short, on all Italian news programs and newspapers, for at least a half-year, there was a blaze of incense and honours, a daily standing ovation that had no equal in the recent history of our country. Every proclamation, every public outing, every crowd enthused corresponded to a timely increase in consensus and, in the wake of the emotion of the moment for a government and a Prime Minister who had finally emerged from the polls, the eternal love between the country and the political class called to lead it.

But in this last period something seems to have gotten stuck, the progression has stopped, the Government's wavering line on major issues such as Europe, the PNRR, weapons for Ukraine and the landings on our coasts it only exalts the loyalists more and leaves the more lukewarm voters disconcerted... and the television polls have almost disappeared. The media drumbeat continues to square around Meloni and her ministers, the occupation of key roles in our institutions, with RAI in the lead, continues tightly and brazenly, even with ad personam law decrees, but it seems more like a entrenchment to secure more the levers of power as quickly as possible than a change in strategic roles typical of any change in governance. Hurrying seems to be the watchword, occupying all possible spaces by taking advantage of a non-existent opposition to the limits of lawfulness, reversing course on all fronts and eliminating the annoying presences expression of a left that soon risks becoming a distant memory.

It is an operation of political make-up elaborated with cunning and conducted with extreme precision, a changing of the guard in grand style to which no one seems able to oppose and react, a real settlement of a caste that has lurked in the shadows for decades and now stands out boldly from the highest floors.
But Italians are like this, they have always loved the display of muscles, ready to give themselves over to those who scream the loudest and beat their fists while making promises that they will never be able to keep; it is our weak point, our Achilles' heel, power fascinates and seduces us and being able to look it in the face while it manifests itself, recognize it while it shows itself, embrace it while it struts makes us feel great and almost invincible for a moment... but It's a moment, precisely, with equally superficial rapidity the Italians themselves fall out of love, forget and, sooner or later, betray, but not out of conviction, out of pure boredom or for the simple pleasure of embracing the new that will come... which will then inevitably reveal itself yet another edition of the old man in disguise for the occasion.


Michelangelo Dotta
NP June / July 2023