A conspiracy. A plan by King Sergius to overthrow Meloni with a “twist of fate”. A “maneuver” to entrust Palazzo Chigi to a technician while waiting for the center-left to unite for a moderate and competitive candidate for prime minister. These and many more stories were collected and published by the newspaper La Verità and then quickly relaunched by Galeazzo Bignami, deputy president of the Fratelli d’Italia. “We believe that reconstruction will be rejected without delay.” And in fact, in no more than a disclaimer, there was “surprise” in Colle because “statements by the leader of the group in the House of the relative majority party seemed to lend credence to another attack on the Republican Presidency that was building close to the ridiculous.” In other words: poisonous meatballs, you have fallen into the trap.
But no, they answered from the government building, what a meatball. “Neither the FdI nor Palazzo Chigi ever doubted the institutional loyalty of the head of state who always interacted with the government in a spirit of total collaboration, not least on important international documents, from the Middle East to Ukraine – Giovanbattista Fazzolari, deputy minister of the presidency, was quick to point out – Bignami was not referring to the Quirinale”. It was certainly Francesco Saverio Garofani, former PD MP for three legislative bodies and defense adviser to Sergio Mattarella, who spoke of the shock. “That would be just right, that would solve everything from the start.”
The background story written by director Maurizio Belpietro is accompanied by an article signed by Ignazio Mangrano that corresponds to the text sent the day before to various newspapers by Mario Rossi. The conversation between Garofani was reported. Phrases heard “secretly” during “friendly meetings in public places.” The councilor was described as concerned by the fact that Giorgia Meloni, by winning the 2027 elections, would then reach the Quirinale. “Let’s hope something changes before the next election. I believe in Providence, a large national citizen’s roll will be enough but a year and a half is not enough. An overhaul is needed.”
That’s enough to cause a small earthquake. Mattarella, in Lucca, did not touch on the topic. Dal Colle points out that, during his tenure, the president appointed all kinds of prime ministers, from the yellow-green Prince, to the yellow-red Prince, to Meloni as the leader of a grand center-right coalition. The sole non-politician, Mario Draghi, sent to Palazzo Chigi to resolve the economic and Covid emergency, still has a huge majority. The opposition spoke of intimidation of the president and demanded important information from the prime minister in Parliament. “Bignami’s words are unacceptable – said Chiara Braga, leader of the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives – Fango. Meloni should distance himself from statements that risk giving rise to an unprecedented conflict”. And for Stefano Patuanelli, leader of the M5 group – “right-wing propaganda knows no bounds”. According to Giuseppe Conte, this was “a weapon of mass diversion, on a day when the Commission confirmed in Brussels that Italy was in pole position”.
But from the centre-right there is no distance from Bignami, who defines himself as “a free man, I think with my own head and I do not speak for Giorgia”. Ambush at Colle? “I didn’t mention it, I would never force myself. I’m still waiting for his rebuttal.” Fazzolari defended him: “He did not refer to the Quirinale or address the head of state in an impolite way. He only indicated that Garofani should clarify.” On the contrary, “their attacks on Belpietro are serious, you can take them or not, but don’t try to silence journalists”.
Lucio Malan, leader of the FdI group in the Senate, offered “solidarity to the director of La Verità”, confirming it “verbatim” and defining Colle’s answer as “institutionally wrong”. Forza Italia chose not to get involved in the controversy. “We have great confidence in the President of the Republic and his impartiality. He has always shown that he is super partes.” And Bignami? “No comment”.
