Coffee with Gianni Alemanno: between a challenge with Meloni and the idea of ​​a new party – Chronicles of Turin

We catch Gianni Alemanno between a cup of coffee and a phone call, just before 11 am on Sunday. Then he will go to the game juventus with your partner’s son. He swears he’s not here for politics, but his curiosity remains: he’s still here. splinter in the eye Fratelli d’Italia.

But between us, isn’t he doing some kind of publicity campaign for his movement?
“Ninth. We start again from the beginning of September. Political activity will resume at full speed on Monday.

First the Stop the War Committee, then the Italian Independence Forum. They look like steps towards the creation of a new party. For the Regionals of 2024 (and for the Europeans), one can imagine a parallel movement to the Brothers of Italy. Also in Turin?
“Perhaps. By October, we want to decide whether we should form a real movement and whether we are ready to compete in politics. Unless, of course, Meloni makes clear political changes. I mean the position on the war in Ukraine and the hyper-Atlantic approach. In this case, we’ll see. But if he continues on this path, then the creation of something alternative will be inevitable.

So is the new party hypothesis more than concrete?
“Yes, but we have to check how many forces, areas and resources we can mobilize.”

What is your relationship with Meloni lately? Do you still love each other like when you were mayor of Rome?

“There are no reports. We said goodbye a year and a half ago without hard feelings. We’ll see how things go in the fall. We’ll ask you to see if there’s room for discussion. But in any case, it will be a purely political discourse, not a personal one.”

So, is it safe to say that you want to create an alternative movement and therefore are vehemently opposed and hostile to the Brothers of Italy, or are you reasonably prepared to ally with Meloni?
“The goal is not to find a polling station, but to understand if there is a possibility of a deep revision of the political line. In our opinion, the government is in danger of failing along the way. This is not just a bad policy line. It’s impractical.”

Isn’t the division to the right a masochistic and self-defeating act when the wind fills the sails of all those who, like you, belong to the Social Movement?
“No, it is not, because our goal is not to overthrow the government. We want our ideas to be heard, because otherwise they would not have the opportunity to express themselves today, because there is no internal debate and democracy in the party.”

Let’s vote for Meloni’s government, okay? Relations with the European Union.
“Five. This is too permissive a relationship.”

Immigration.
“Here, too, is not enough. Between four and five. Many attempts have been made, but with little result.

Basic income.
“Five. It cannot be canceled in August without valid alternatives.”

Small flaws. General Vote vs. Keeping Campaign Promises?
“There are four of us. There has been a complete reversal.”

I see you are ready to vote. Do you have another one for Minister Crosetto?
“Overall I would give Crosetto a good four. For excessive alliance with the United States and indecent treatment of his subordinates.

Do you mean the case of General Vannacci?
“You made a mistake with General Crosetto. Even before the disciplinary commission expressed its opinion, he had already expressed his conviction. By the way, I didn’t even read the book. This is a sensational violation compared to a general who has always been at the forefront and devoted his allegiance to the country for 37 years.

If you are called “the last explosion of MSI”, like Alessandro Pavolini, “the last explosion of Salo”, are you embarrassed or proud?
“It seems to me a huge nonsense. Who calls me that out of curiosity? I’ve never heard of such a thing. I think that the ideas we are interpreting are looking to the future and to the new multipolar world.”

More famous is the nickname given to her by the dolphin Pino Rauti. Among other things, he even married his daughter Isabella. What relationship did you end up with, given that she is now Meloni’s supporter?
“We are divorced. Even the fact that it was identified as Rauti’s dolphin dates back about 30 years ago.”

Let’s get back to more pressing issues. What do you think of Ellie Schlein? This is great news in the Democratic ranks. Do you prefer her to Meloni?
“No, we are not joking. However, I prefer this government to any technical or transverse government of the left. My goal, of course, is not to overthrow him, but to keep campaign promises. Schlein is the best gift that could have been given to Georgia Meloni.”

In what sense?
“An opponent like that is what a prime minister would always like to have.”

Last question. How do you assess Alberto Sirio’s candidacy for the centre-right in the regional elections in Piedmont?
“It seems like a natural candidate to me. Syrio has excelled and is regarded as one of the best governors in the region. Now it depends only on him: not to succumb to the temptation of the Europeans.”

One curiosity remains, but Alemanno does not unfasten. Who are your supporters in Turin and Piedmont?