THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BEST

 

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BEST

This is a moment of great historical and political changes for Italy: not only for the reaffirmation of the center-right at the helm of the country (after eleven years of technical government aimed at remedying the instability caused by the then Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi), but also for the rise to the presidency of the Council of Ministers of a woman, the first in the history of Italy. Giorgia Meloni, in her speech to the Chamber of Deputies, is animated by empathy, great promises and heartfelt thanks: promises to give space to the priorities and interests of the country (which she very often calls Nation and Homeland), but also gratitude towards Mario Draghi for making such a rapid transition possible, and for those entitled to vote who led her to victory in the elections held on September 25th. I would like to stop for a brief reflection: considering that only 64% of eligible voters turned up at the polls, and that of that percentage 26% favored Fratelli d’Italia, we can serenely consider abstention as the real winner of the 2022 elections. But, despite the numbers, Meloni speaks of "creating a political government, fully representative of the popular will". The new Premier lists by name the women who have "broken the glass roof" and opened the doors to her ascent towards the office she has to hold. Certainly illustrious names are missing, as is the slightest mention of the women of the resistance, thirty-five thousand Italians united in the struggle to free Italy from Nazi-fascism. From the first female Premier in history, I would have expected the appointment of more female figures to the various ministries: only six out of a total of twenty-four positions. She, who could have changed the fate of such a patriarchal parliament, decides to keep men at the head of the greatest number of some of the highest government offices. Not only that, among the first circulars to the ministries Meloni reminds everyone by which title she should be called: "Mr. President of the Council of Ministers, Hon Giorgia Meloni". It's true, we're in a democracy and it's legitimate for everyone to call themselves as they see fit, but then why claim the importance of the goal achieved by a woman!? Subsequently, Meloni does not firmly condemn the dictatorship of Duce Mussolini, she mentions a bland and fragile "despite what some have claimed, I have never felt sympathy or closeness towards anti-democratic regimes, including fascism". We know, however, that it was a young Meloni (then militant of Alleanza Nazionale) to declare "I think that Mussolini was a good politician. It means that everything he did, he did for Italy. There have been no other politicians like him in the last fifty years". Several people have come to her defense emphasizing how young Giorgia was in that distant 1996, but then why has she never described as deplorable the Roman salute thrown into the air repeatedly by some of her party colleagues during the electoral campaign? Why did she always and only deny the evidence? All legitimate questions that make you think. 

Continuing, Meloni declares that she wants to "guarantee Italians, ALL Italians, a future of greater freedom, justice, well-being and security. And if to do so we have to displease some powers, or make choices that may not be immediately understood by some citizens, we will not back down". Among the first measures proposed to the Chamber, (to guarantee all Italians freedom, justice, welfare and security), the Premier proposes raising the ceiling on cash, strongly suggested and supported by Minister Salvini, to ten thousand euros (which will later be fixed at five thousand). She says that the decision was taken to favor the people and to facilitate the free use of their money. We're kidding, right!? Most Italians live on starvation wages, how is it possible to think that an ordinary citizen has five thousand or even ten thousand euros to spend in cash!? We are not fools: the raising of the ceiling on cash, the much loved flat tax etcetera only serve to favor a single social category. Meloni disputes the fact that the possibility of handling such high amounts of hard cash facilitates tax evasion and black market, when studies by the Central Bank of Italy have proved, data in hand, how these two joint variables are irremediably a source of livelihood for the shadow economy. Right-wing politicians love to tout Germany as an example of a country that does not restrict cash and has minimal annual tax evasion; bullshit! Germany takes charge of an evasion of more than three hundred billion a year, hand in hand with Italy which, too, regularly boasts record figures. 

But, dulcis in fundo, what are the first concerns of this government? The expensive bills? Decrease the salaries of parliamentarians who earn around fifteen thousand euros a month in addition to annuities, while the Italian people are not legally entitled to a minimum salary? Measures in favor of eco-sustainability? Let alone! The "Government of the best" thinks of a useless rave decree; the cancellation of the citizen's income; to detain at sea for two days more than four hundred migrants in transit on ships that are not equipped as passenger ships (leaving them stalled in inhumane conditions); to antagonize France; to eliminate masks even in hospital environments, and to reintegrate healthcare personnel not vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of time (according to them to address the shortage of personnel, when the total of the aforementioned is less than 1% of the total number of doctors and nurses operating on Italian territory), canceling and forgiving the fine they were required to pay (of only 100 euros, among other things). 

The "best" are off to a really bad start and, more than anything else, are just faces recycled from the times of Berlusconi and some new freak. We will talk about these characters. For now, I'm taking a break from the bitterness.