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Coalition negotiations in Italy: they hate each other, they need each other

2019-08-27T21:32:33.786Z


Five-star boss Di Maio has only a few hours left to make an alliance with the Social Democrats. Without agreement threatens new elections in Italy - and the rise of Right Wing Salvini to head of government.



Insulting social democrats? For Beppe Grillo there was no better pleasure for a long time. After all, he had not founded his fun and protest movement Five Stars to flatter the political establishment. The Democratic Party (PD) is "a container full of liquid shit" and a "darling of the Camorra," the comedian blasphemed. Leading PD people were for him either a "zombie", "a cock that considers itself an eagle" or "remotely controlled by the banks and Merkel".

Luigi Di Maio also distanced himself from the Social Democrats. The PD was "unpresentable" and had "accepted money from the mafia," said the head of the five-star movement just before the elections last year. "I categorically exclude any cooperation."

It's a long way to go from sheer hatred to a kind of love-hate relationship - and eventually close a marriage of convenience. The five stars have only a few hours left. On Tuesday, Italy's President Sergio Mattarella launched the second round of consultations in the Quirinal Palace. First off are the smaller parties, followed by the big ones on Wednesday. Finally, Luigi Di Maio is loaded with his Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S) for Wednesday 19h.

Alessandra Tarantino / AP

Five-star boss Di Maio: Time is running out

Then it should be clear how it goes on with Italy. If M5S and PD agree and form an alliance, Mattarella will immediately hire a person to form a government. Already at the weekend could then start a new cabinet. If the talks break, the president will dissolve parliament, create a transitional technical government, and call for new elections this fall.

Opera buffa in Rome

The negotiations are currently under pressure. The mood in Rome feels a bit like the last Bundestag elections in Berlin, when the Greens and the FDP tried to get closer - however, both parties took four excruciatingly long weeks for their Jamaican explorations with the Union. In Rome a few days have to be enough.

Both sides have to deal with so many injuries. And to negotiate topics that were actually a matter of course in Italy for decades. "Loyal Membership of the European Union," the Democratic Party's negotiators ranked number one on a list to try to teach the populists of the M5S. In second place followed the "complete recognition of representative democracy". How it will be until Wednesday evening, a government program, probably do not even understand the politicians involved.

Just like in an opera buffa, the events are intensifying. Smallest movements make for a murmur in the audience, amazed to amused, the audience watching what the main characters are doing. Why, for example, did star boss Di Maio spend the weekend on the beach, while PD politicians in Rome wondered about Italy's future and might have liked to talk to him about it? And what about the ultimatums, declarations of love and new threats that sound in rapid change? Everything just a show before the grand finale?

What will become of Conte?

One must only listen to one another, the phase of the disputes is now over, said PD boss Nicola Zingaretti on Monday, that "a positive fact". But after both parties negotiated without result until one at night, the world looked different again on Tuesday morning. The five stars canceled a meeting scheduled for 11 o'clock at short notice.

Remo Casilli / REUTERS

PD boss Zingaretti: Everything just a show before the grand finale?

The main point of controversy is the future of Giuseppe Conte, who still wanted to prevent Zingaretti. Di Maio, on the other hand, desperately wants to keep the non-party law professor as head of government and thus profit from his great popularity. As long as the Democratic Party does not accept Conte, there will be no further negotiations, is the latest ultimatum of the Five Stars. The Social Democrats countered with the accusation that Di Maio was thinking only of his own career and would like to become Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior in the new cabinet. The evening was then still negotiated.

Salvini is almost forgiving

How both parties concretely want to shape Italy's future, is difficult in the din. The country should become greener and more female-friendly. And it is talked about the details of a parliamentary reform, which should reduce the number of deputy seats. So far, so expectable and unspectacular.

It is strangely quiet, however, when it comes to the legacy of the previous government. The cynical play with migrants in distress, the attacks against refugee helpers, the sharp security laws, the attacks against partner countries in the European Union. So a policy that Conte as head of government and Di Maio as the head of the largest coalition party at least co-responsible. Both have not found a way to distance themselves credibly.

ANGELO CARCONI / EPA-EFE / REX

Lega boss Salvini: Convincing signals

The man who has determined this course so far seems a bit calmer these days. Almost conciliatory. On Facebook, Matteo Salvini posted photos of his daughter and St. Peter's Basilica in the sunset. In between, he once again sent reconciliation signals to his old coalition partner Di Maio, whom the Lega meanwhile brought into play as the next Prime Minister. If someone still wants a real government, Salvini said, he is "willing to go one step ahead, not one but 1000 steps".

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2019-08-27

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