It is a question of method rather than of merit.
And the diktat method continually jeopardizes the government's action.
Giuseppe Conte's reply to Matteo Renzi will most likely be live on TV, with the Italian parliamentary press in the audience.
The conference at the end of the year provides the prime minister with an ideal side for his counter-move towards the former premier.
Conte will speak first of all to the Italians.
He will talk about concrete things, from the vaccine plan, to the possible post-Epiphany reopening.
Until the Recovery Plan.
But he will not disdain, explains those who know him well, one or more "foil shots" in the direction of Italia Viva.
There is a point, in fact, that even at Palazzo Chigi now seem to have accepted.
The government, with this trend, cannot go on.
And it cannot do it first of all on the Recovery Plan on which, is Conte's mantra, the country is playing its credibility in Europe and in the world.
For this reason, what will be held in the morning at Villa Madama could really be the last press conference of this government, as we have known about the formation of the executive so far.
How it will change and - above all - if it manages to overcome this crucial ford, will only be seen in January.
It will be in the first month of 2021 that Conte will try to get out of the pincer made by pressing on the time schedule and agenda, always insistent rumors of reshuffling and the need to relaunch, from now at least to the white semester, the action of the executive.
A need that is highlighted by everyone: from the Pd to the M5S in Leu up, obviously, to Iv.
There is no introductory speech by the Prime Minister at the press conference.
After a brief greeting, Conte will pass directly to the questions from the audience.
The topics, like every year, will be the most disparate but the political heart of these hours remains the relationship with Iv.
On the Recovery Plan Conte will confirm, after the missteps (in the opinion of many, among the allies) in December, the return to full collegiality, also respecting the balance of power between the majority parties.
On the delegation to the Services he will hardly announce steps backwards ("the 2007 law gives him this faculty", he reminds Palazzo Chigi) but it is possible that he will open to a reshaping of the executive team.
Here, however, Conte runs on the edge, the one that divides the perspective of a "ter" from the government crisis.
A thread of which there is full awareness even at the Quirinale, never as in these days vigilant over the tightness of the executive.
Colle from which, in recent days, the moral suasion on the risks of a substantial reshuffle on the stability of the government has filtered several times.
The end point of this visual navigation could be the vote of the Chamber on the Recovery Plan, which could be held by January.
I vote that, in Conte's strategy, it could in fact be a new trust in a government - perhaps only with some changed ministerial profile.
And it is on this occasion, according to the rumor that filters in the majority, that Conte could challenge Renzi on the numbers.
In addition to the yes of a handful of IV parliamentarians who would not follow the leader, the yes of a group of centrists, responsible, aware that in the center-right with sovereign traction and with the cut of seats, in the next elections there will be no more space.
A group that, at the next polls, could be part of that "Count list" never more than in these days present in the whispers of the Roman palaces.
This option would even become necessary if Renzi opts for external support.