The leader of Italia Viva, Matteo Renzi, in his appearance at the Quirinal Palace, this Thursday.ALESSANDRO SERRANO / POOL / EFE
Matteo Renzi has met this Thursday afternoon for half an hour with the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella.
The leader of Italia Viva has agreed to support a political government or an institutional one if necessary.
But he has demanded that his old partners first make a political recognition of his party.
Renzi has also not opposed a new appointment of Giuseppe Conte, but has implied that he is considering other options, which puts the resigned prime minister on the ropes.
The Democratic Party, for its part, has insisted on its will that Conte be the one to repeat as head of the Executive.
Renzi has raised the pressure against Conte in the first phase of consultations with the President of the Republic to form a new government.
The Florentine wants to bend the arm of the resigned prime minister, with whom he maintains a terrible relationship, but has not revealed to what extent.
Most solutions to the crisis go through complying with the demands of your party.
Renzi wants to charge dearly for the support.
The leader of Italia Viva demands that all those who have accused his formation of being unreliable, or himself of being "irresponsible", confirm that impression if they intend to join a new majority.
To move forward, he hinted after his meeting with the President of the Republic, he will only accept that they recognize the contribution of his party and agree to a political debate.
He knows that today there is no alternative majority: “We want to know from the other political forces if they consider us part of a possible majority.
The hunt for the parliamentarian has not produced another.
We are ready to commit ourselves to a political majority.
But we want to know in the next few hours if the other political forces want to involve Italia Viva.
For this they must be willing to discuss politics ”.
Renzi has conveyed to Mattarella that his party is only opposed to calling elections.
But he would be willing to support a political or institutional government if a clear majority or a candidate could not be found.
"Before names and programs, you have to see what majority can compose it," he pointed out, insisting that his old allies must ratify if they want his participation.
The reality is that everything is happening right now through Italia Viva, a party with an estimated 3% vote, but with 18 senators worth a prime minister.
Conte's desperate attempt to assemble a group of turncoat senators in the Senate to replace them is not yet bearing fruit.
“We want to understand if Italia Viva and its ideas work.
We have lived 15 days of mud, and we have not responded with mud.
It has been led to believe that by recovering a vote or two in the Senate, this crisis could be faced, ”he argued.
Renzi pointed out that the resigned prime minister had called him shortly before his meeting with Mattarella (the conversation lasted half an hour).
"I have told him that we have no personal problem against him," he said, leaving the door open to support him.
“But we want to know in the next few hours if the other political forces want to involve Italia Viva.
For this they must be willing to discuss politics, "he insisted.
Time passes and, waiting for the meeting today with the 5-Star Movement and the parties to the right, the ball is in Mattarella's roof.
The head of state will have to think of a solution and communicate it on Friday or Saturday.
The first idea would be to carry out an exploratory commission to a third person to verify the degree of support that a candidate like Conte may have, who would start with an advantage.
But Italia Viva's position on this is key.
And that round would be a perfect opportunity to kill him and show the need to find a new name.
The difficulty of finding a figure other than Conte is enormous.
Especially because the different ideological inclinations of the 5-Star Movement, the party that won the elections and the majority partner of the future coalition, must be satisfied.
The list of alternative names, in any case, has begun to be drawn up.
The PD and Italia Viva, explain sources from both parties, would not look down on the return of Paolo Gentiloni, current European Commissioner for Economic Affairs.
The former prime minister should leave his post and some believe Italy would be able to keep him to offer Conte as a replacement.
"That option is real.
Obviously, it is not clear if it would be allowed in Brussels, but it is on the table and Mattarella knows it ”, explain sources from Italia Viva.
The other option that has gained strength in recent hours is that of Roberto Fico, president of the Chamber of Deputies and representative of the social democratic sector of the 5-Star Movement.
The formula would make it possible to release the position he currently occupies and offer it to a prominent figure of the PD to balance the forces.
Italia Viva insists that the crisis has a political purpose. Sandro Gozi MEP puts it this way: “Italy is the first beneficiary of the Recovery Plan [EU recovery fund] and it is serious that it was not the first to present it. The serious delay has been the result of the inability of the Conte government to make the necessary reforms: starting with justice. I hope that Italy will come out with a solid government and a majority extended to center forces and part of Forza Italia if it wanted to sustain this type of majority ”, he says, opening his arms to Silvio Berlusconi. That will be another of the tricks that Renzi can play.