Just to not stray too far from wars, fragile truces, skirmishes like those to which American president Donald Trump has reduced missiles, drones, bombs, destruction, deaths, and injuries in Lebanon; but also just to not lose a bit of irony among so many tragedies, one might be tempted to imagine the Forza Italia leader in the Chamber Paolo Barelli, 72 years old turning in June, tempted to go on vacation to Beirut and surroundings. Where he might run fewer risks than those his friends are causing him in Rome. Let’s call them that, as the Christian Democrats used to do even while continuously fighting each other in the trenches of their factions.
Since the last election, or appointment, of Barelli as head of the Forza Italia group in Montecitorio, only three years have passed, just under eight times how many years he has spent as president of the Italian Swimming Federation, awarded to him in seven votes for his expertise as a pool champion. Seven votes are as many times as Giulio Andreotti happened to serve as prime minister.
Barelli’s experience as Forza Italia leader in the Chamber is also at risk because he is a relative-in-law of the party secretary Antonio Tajani. Who is himself at risk, albeit perhaps over a more extended period, at least since he imprudently set himself the electoral target of 20 percent: more than double the current level. The only thing that has truly increased under his leadership, or secretariat, in Forza Italia has been the number of members. But it is precisely this that contributes to his weakness in the eyes, heart, or gut, as you prefer, of those who also appeal to the late Silvio Berlusconi, and now to his children, to support the uniqueness, so to speak, of the blue party. Where membership registration smells too much of the old days, of the so-called First Republic. And the practice, preferred instead by Tajani, of traditional party congresses, indeed, with plenty of leaders, officials, and others elected and not appointed, also smells a bit.
From the latest reports, or behind-the-scenes, it appears that after the changeover in the Senate group, where Stefania Craxi replaced Maurizio Gasparri leaving him the not insignificant presidency of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, work is underway, not even so much behind the scenes, to bring Enrico Costa to the top of the Chamber group. However, he is not the only aspirant. The final word will probably not be said by Tajani, who would care, relying on the help of the ever-active Gianni Letta, but by Marina Berlusconi. Marina, not the one from Rocco Granata’s 2009 song.
