There could well be a grand coalition in Italy to push forward the election of the President of the Republic, alter the Porcellum electoral rules and then send Italy to the polls again after the new President has dissolved this Parliament, the unfortunate child of too early a general election.
The sticking point is Pierluigi Bersani. His continued leadership of the Democratic Party or any suggestion of his installation as even a stop-gap prime minister results in the instant withdrawal of all offers of co-operation from all sides (other than his own Democratic Party faction) even from within the Democratic Party. There are bitter regrets that last November the Bersani faction got away with fixing the leadership elections against Matteo Renzi and failed to scrap the old communist guard.
Unfortunately Bersani is absolutely desperate to become prime minister, choosing to ignore that he has lost the elections and blaming everyone and everything for the 'ungovernability' of Italy. Sigh. We've seen this type before.
UPDATE
Comrade Bersani has finally faced the media after a notable (and welcome) absence ever since it became clear early yesterday that he had lost.
He refuses to resign as leader of the Democratic Party. The captain does not desert the ship, he is reported to have said. Sink or swim then.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
6 comments:
The BBC keeps referring to Bersani as "centre-left". Presumably in a parallel universe well-known wartime politicians are being referred to as "centre-right".
The captain does not desert the ship.
I thought Bersani had the look of the captain of the Costa Concordia about him.
Are you suggesting if Bersani remains all deals are off and a 2nd election must be undertaken?
Any inkling who would benefit the most from a second round? Berlusconi as his supporters had the momentum?
Or the comedian party, which must have exceeded everyone's expectations already ?
Or even the Democratic party who's voters know they have only to gain certain areas to win power?
Well they've already asked Dario Fo to be president, but unfortunately he said no; perhaps it will be Franca Rame after all, now wouldn't that be lovely!
Blue, the Democratic Party is an alliance of parties from the centre to the very far left and is, further, in formal alliance with beyond the Pale left splinter parties. It is most misleading to call the Bersani faction centre left. They are the direct descendants of the Democratic Socialists, who are the successor party to the Communist Party of Italy. The older among them, the ones Matteo Renzi tried to scrap, were for decades card-carrying members of the Communist Party, paid for in their political and life activities by the Soviet Union until the USSR was brought down in 1992. The man they intended for the Minister of Finance was leader of the Young Communist League (one among other reasons why we wouldn't want him anywhere near the economy). Some wartime politicians called right wing by the BBC were of course leading figures of the National Socialist Workers'Party.
Incidentally, Renzi has not said a single word, nor appeared in any post election discussion programme. He's being tracked round central Florence by hordes of journalists, saying he isn't saying anything today.
Only a new President can dissolve this Parliament. Napolitano doesn't have those powers any more.
Bersani is causing serious problems, Mr Q; he's just told the largest party in the Lower House to tell him what they want which is quite some cheek considering the Democratic Party has fewer members elected. The 5 Star Movement is the largest party in the Lower House, not the PD. The PD got the premium of seats because of their alliance with SEL (formerly Rifondazione Comunista well represented there). Grillo remarked that discussions will be with President Napolitano and then referred on line to the whole Movement and decisions taken after that. Bersani is a party authoritarian and can't believe we can all put in our views and comments. He has attitude issues. Not least failing to grasp that failing to get enough votes means he lost and needs to consider his position.
Oh yes, Musician. She's really lovely, and clever, and funny, and ideal for the first woman president. And being married to Dario Fo we'd get both of them.
That Emma Bonnino failed to get back into Parliamnet. Hah.
Post a Comment