370. Italy: President’s Election Leaves Left-wing Shattered to Bits
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| Montecitorio (from Wikipedia) |
Was it the aim of the 5 Star Movement to break up Italy’s left-wing and
replace it with themselves? Breaking it into bits, they certainly have
succeeded but since they only want to destroy, disrupt and send everyone else
home but themselves, they are a long way from governing because this clearly is
not their aim.
However, one can’t put all the blame on the “Grillini” as this movement
is otherwise called, because that is precisely what they said they would do:
disrupt, destroy and send everyone home, so those who voted them did so in
protest, not for an eventual governing power. Therefore it is fair to say that
the left-wing fell right into the trap like mature fruit falling from the tree.
However, what broke up the left-wing was not the fruit being mature but
rotten, rotten with acidity against Berlusconi and vicious rivalry among
themselves, that is how even the greatest fall.
The left-wing had, with hardly any amount of responsibility towards the
country, turned the voting system into an arena of warfare, a battle of
strength not only against Berlusconi, but most of all among themselves. And in
their responsibly to produce a government in the last 55 days or the election
of a new President, they failed miserably, emerging as a party and a coalition
shattered in smithereens.
How did they manage to come to this?
The events that led to the resignation of Bersani, the leader of the
Partito Democratico (The Democratic Party) and of its President Rosy Bindi,
last night, and severing of the coalition with the Left Ecology Freedom Party (SEL) led by Vendola,
rings the death knell of the left-wing.
One needs to go behind the scenes in order to have a glimmer of
understanding as what lies behind the election of the new President of Italy.
THE
FIRST VOTE:
1007 Members of Parliament of
which
630 from the Lower House
(Deputati)
319 from the Senate (Senators)
672 votes which is a majority of
2/3 of the votes is the requirement for election.
RESULTS:
FRANCO MARINI 521 (Candidate
for the right and left wings)
STEFANO RODATA’ 240
(Candidate for the 5 Star Movement)
Marini was proposed by the left-wing leader Bersani in agreement with
the right-wing leader Alfano (ex-leader Berlusconi)
Matteo Renzi, left-wing Mayor of Florenze said days before his
group would not vote Marini. Why the Veto? After all Marini was the founder of
the present version of the Partito Democratico? Maybe because he had roots in
Catholicism and was the right-wing Trade Union leader (if Trade Unions can be
right-wing), but most likely because Berlusconi would vote him. However, the
results was that Renzi’s group did not vote Marini and therefore one foot in
the grave of the left-wing is placed.
The second and third votes were ineffective as they produced mainly
blanks but a consistency of 240 plus votes for the 5 Star Movement candidate.
However, Bersani knew Marini would not have Renzi’s support in the first
vote, was this a soiled plot to deliberate burn this candidature? If Bersani
really intended Marini for President why did he not wait to nominate him at the
fourth election when because the majority requirement is lowered to 504 votes,
Marini would be sure to win, even without Renzi’z votes, since Marini was also
supported by the right-wing.
No, indeed, Bersani had another candidate for the fourth vote with a
lower majority requirement and in effect it was the candidate that the left
wing really wanted for President which was Romano Prodi, a figure not at all
appreciated by the right-wing because of past conflict. However, Bersani
thought with his left-wing alone, he would have sufficient votes for Prodi to
become President.
Obviously, one in four of the left, were not of the same opinion and
Prodi only gained 395 of the 504 required. Resignations were to be expected and
long overdue.
During the Fourth election, Mario Monti nominated his Internal Affairs
Minister as Candidate, Anna Maria Cancellieri who in the last 16 months of her
ministry both right and left supported her without question.
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| Anna Maria Cancellieri (From Wikipedia) |
At this now, Fifth vote, Anna Maria Cancellieri is the candidate backed
by Monti’s group and the right-wing of Alfano (with Berlusconi). No question, a
woman as President would certainly not go to waste in Italy and she is the only
symbol at present available of unity. Let’s hope good sense will prevail. As
Parliament “unites” for the next voting sessions, even if the left-wing men
will not vote her, let’s hope at least the left-wing women will vote her. If
they don’t how can they ever claim again to understand anything about either
women or politics, let alone care anything about Italy?
Local Time: 13.40 Monti declares he has gone to see the present President, Napolitano, to stand for re-election which up to now, Napolitano has always refused. Napolitano says he will give an answer before 15.00 hours today before the Sixth vote in parliament.
