In 40 years of League history (i.e. starting from the Lega Autonomista Lombarda) there has never been a sitting national leader ejected by the party. Not for political reasons, and not for any other reasons (both Bossi and Maroni had resigned).
Yes things change, but the idea that the members of the "League for Salvini Premier" are now going to follow such an inspiring leader as Giorgetti, & that Salvini won't fight back is, frankly, for the birds.
Hard as it certainly is, the only way for the League not to be overtaken by Meloni (and by a large margin) is to try and keep its coalition together: radical boh-vax, Eurosceptic, no-asylum voters, alongside the more export oriented productive types of the deep north.
Giorgetti + a few governors of northern regions ain't going anywhere on their own. And they know it.
Sure, they can agitate for more influence. Sure.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
14 years ago the then leader of Brothers of Italy's predecessor, the National Alliance, went to Israel, said that fascism was "pure evil" & rejected the legacy of Mussolini's Social Republic.
In time, he moved even further to the centre.
Having split from Berlusconi, Gianfranco Fini tried to reinvent himself as a liberal leader renewing Italy's right, only to end up in the political wilderness. There was no political space back then for someone of his background now embracing the values of the Enlightenment.
Meloni's strategy in recent years could not have been different, as we are seeing today after reps from her party have been shown on TV praising fascism & making openly racist statements.
I have said many times that I expect an eventual govt led by @GiorgiaMeloni to act in continuity with the 4 govts led by @berlusconi in the last 25 years. The fundamental reason are the powerful external constraints placed upon Italy by its membership of NATO & the EU...
... (particularly as Italy starts drawing EU funds to bounce back, & considering its ballooning state debt & reliance on international finance markets).
These facts will not be changed by a campaign - as they never have before.
Yes, the radical right League & Brothers of Italy send (not exactly "covert") messages to an extreme right milieu, trying to keep these individuals & groups on board, not to mention the small but vociferous world of NO-VAX, No-Green Pass groups...
Like Conte's, Draghi's govt seems to be making it up on a daily basis concerning pandemic.
It is as if structural factors (e.g. state capabilities), relations of power state/regions, and: "events, dear boy, events" (e.g. J&J & AZ) mattered more -much more- than identity of PM 🤔
On the other hand, no-one could have predicted this.
Problem with this constant overpromising of "new eras" that always fail to materialise is that it provides the ideal breeding ground for next "anti-elite" entrepreneur who, this time, "will definetely get things done". Feeding a never ending cycle of political disillusionment.
Some Italian papers are talking abt the right wing coalition "breaking up", since the parties within it have different positions abt Draghi. Nothing is further from the truth. This is the usual good cop/ bad cop routine they have adopted many times before-which benefits them all.
The facts. Berlusconi has consistently asked for a "Government staffed by the best" to lead the country. Taking part allows him to influence allocation of the goodies of the Recovery Plan, election of next President, while fostering the image that -incredibly- Italian media...
...are unquestioningly perpetuating: that he is a "moderate", "anti-populist", pro-European & some sort of father figure who has de facto become almost super partes now.
This move helps him occupy this niche in view of the next election. It's only 7/8/9% of the electorate?
... they don't even need to be party members (Conte wasn't, in fact Conte could well be one of them). Then he could pick one of two that Berlusconi likes. And he's done it.
(It's clear enough already that no-one is going to focus on policies, just look at the debate today...
... the guy could literally walk into Parliament carrying a blank sheet of paper & improvise for 15 minutes & it would not make the slightest bit of difference).
There is even a precedent, the Ciampi govt of 1993. Ciampi was a former Governor of the Bank of Italy, hence a technocrat, however many of his ministers came from the parties that supported his govt.
In other words, technocratic govts come in different shades of grey...