Prudence, old guard, contacts with Beppe Grillo and Davide Casaleggio. The post-Di Maio M5S moves in these very first hours on these tracks in view of the appointment of the General States.
But beyond apparent calm, the battle rages on. And the terrain is the direction to be given to the new Movement : whether in a center-left field or in a solitary race.
It will be one of the central themes from here to the "congress" in mid-March. And it is a battle that will cross with that on the format to be given to the leadership, whether unique or collegiate .
Even if those who aim for collegiality seem to face defeat: "the political leader will be unique", underline the leaders of the Movement. Among other things, the Guarantor has always been in line.
At Palazzo Madama, in the rooms of the M5S groups, the regent Vito Crimi organizes a first meeting with the thematic facilitators. Crimi is not moving alone. He is an exponent of the old guard, very close to the casaleggiana wing and also to Grillo. Luigi Di Maio, they say, had informed him for some time of the choice to leave. The theme, from the parts of the former comedian, is another: because if Grillo, since last summer, has pushed the leaders of the Five Stars for an organic dialogue with the Dems, in addition to Di Maio and Casaleggio himself, they don't think so. so. "By ourselves we take votes away from the League", is the line that also emerges in view of Sunday's Regionals.
Meanwhile, the belief that winds among many elected officials is that the farewell of Di Maio is only a goodbye. And the former political leader immediately dives into an election campaign that he himself did not want and, basically, speaking to those activists who could be decisive in the vote on the leadership that will take place after the General States. And then, to testify that the movement's status quo has not suffered trauma there are the Five Star Statute and the possession of the symbol, which remains in the bed of the M5S Association, whose legal representative is the political leader, or Vito Crimi .
The feeling is that the dichotomy between "ex" Dimaians and Orthodox will be repeated . With the latter pushing for collegial leadership but who will hardly be satisfied. The idea would be to maintain a unique figure as a leader, strengthening the "team of the future" (with possible changes) and making it, in fact, a secretariat. But who can vote for the new leadership? Who will be entitled to participate in the General States? Already on these questions, internal tensions will not fail. Not to mention the race for succession.
The idea of Alessandro Di Battista's return to the pitch becomes more concrete from hour to hour . The "Dibba" - which Di Maio, explain by his staff, has never attacked in his speech - has the consent of the base, like those who want an M5S as a third way and his descent on the pitch could trigger the withdrawal of any " big "competitors.
Doubts remain about the desire that the former deputy has to do "Di Maio", with all the pros and cons. So, here are already circulating the possible alternative names. From Paola Taverna to Stefano Buffagni up to Stefano Patuanelli (with potentially stabilizing effects for the government) and Chiara Appendino.
The knot of the alliance with the Democratic Party will be resolved before the States General. In Campania the hypothesis of running with the Dem exists, but only without Vincenzo De Luca. In Liguria and Puglia the "regional" winners are Alice Salvatore and Antonella Laricchia, certainly not pro-Dem supporters. And a victory of the League in Emilia-Romagna would be the gravestone for the aspirations of those who would like an enlarged Pd-M5S camp. in the meantime, the sanctions of the taxpayers on reimbursements will arrive by the hour: few expulsions (less than 5) but still very hard disciplinary measures.