Rome
It is a crisis in several acts, rich in great thrills and subtleties, of the parliamentary system, which is being played out these days in Rome on the future of the second government of Giuseppe Conte.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister emerged victorious from the fight that Matteo Renzi waged on January 13.
At least on his first run.
He had to manage to stay in place, although weakened, even if we still did not know, Tuesday at the end of the day, the real size of the majority obtained in the Senate.
With a relative majority, from 155 to 158 votes, Giuseppe Conte should not be forced to submit his resignation.
But this score, better than the worst projections, promises him difficult days in Parliament, where he should lose control of important parliamentary committees, when it will be necessary to vote for difficult reforms.
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In the aftermath of Matteo Renzi's withdrawal from the majority on January 13, the Democrats and the 5-Star Movement in government engaged in an all-out vote hunt to replace the seven deputies and eighteen senators of the Italia Viva group.
Among the ex-5-stars, among the renzists frightened by the poker move of their leader, among the non-registered, and even the most centrist of Forza Italia.
Speaking to deputies on Monday, then to senators on Tuesday in the same terms to gain their confidence, Giuseppe Conte denounced a crisis which
"makes him uncomfortable"
, and of which he
"does not understand the basis"
, said- he.
He knows that he is
"accused of both immobility and too rapid a course, of centralization of powers and lack of decision-making capacity".
But, he assures,
"it is complicated to govern with those who continually undermine a political balance patiently achieved by the majority forces"
.
Without ever quoting Matteo Renzi, he affirms that
"what happened constitutes an indelible wound".
If he is careful not to make irreparable remarks, we understand that he excludes any new rapprochement with Matteo Renzi.
Because, he says,
"confidence has been lost"
.
He assures us that he wants to
"turn the page"
.
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But who should replace the precious eighteen senators of Italia Viva?
“To all those who care about the fate of Italy, I ask: 'Help us!'”
, He says.
Addressing the
"volunteers"
, he asks them for their
"clear, transparent support, based on a convinced adherence to a political project"
.
It targets not only
"political forces"
, but also
"available people"
,
"those who have ideas, projects, and the will to be builders with us"
.
Because every voice counts in this frantic race for political survival.
He promises them to strengthen the government by making room for them by the end of the month, to sign a legislative pact with an ambitious political program, and to return to a proportional electoral system, as demanded by the Democratic Party (PD) for correct the reduction in the number of parliamentarians.
Scattered support
After Matteo Renzi's attack in good standing yesterday in the Senate, Giuseppe Conte was very combative.
In the coming days, he wants to broaden the current majority to all
“pro-European forces”
, but also
“to the liberals, to the socialists”
to
“block the sovereignists”
.
Beyond that, he wants to constitute at the center a fourth pillar of majority, this new political party, “Insieme”, which would recover the legacy of the decaying M5S, and would sooner or later come to compete with Italia Viva.
On Monday, the appeal was heard in the House, where Conte won an absolute majority of 321 votes, with 6 votes ahead.
However, these
“volunteers”
will have demands, ministries and a candidacy for the next election, which will harm its current allies.
A sign that far from having smoothed out the difficulties, the confidence of the two chambers has not put an end to the blackmail of the allies.
To survive, he will ultimately have traded the support of a compact group for scattered support.
Not enough to come out stronger, nor to last in such troubled times.
The crisis may not be over.