Winning the 2024 Regionals, for the center-left, will not be taken for granted: Massimo Zedda's is almost a gloomy presentiment, or if we want a warning to his fellow travelers. For four decades Sardinia has applied the rule of alternation between the big poles: but the former mayor of Cagliari, candidate for governor in 2019, knows that in politics every rule can have exceptions. «Some colleague says it: we'll win next time. Instead it is not said », reflects Zedda. "If 40-45% of the voters vote, it is enough to move ten thousand votes to decide the elections." This is why he and the opposition group leaders in the Regional Council began to talk about "rebirth", in a public meeting last Friday in Cagliari: "To win - he underlines - you have to start working immediately".

Isn't it a bit early to look at the Regionals?

«Let's say that that initiative looks to Sardinia. In the sense that we should have almost two years ahead to make a more effective opposition to the current disaster in the Region, but above all to build a serious program ».

He said "we should have". Why the conditional?

"Because an anticipation of the Regionals is not excluded, in the event that President Solinas is a candidate for Politics".

To tell the truth, he excluded it.

"But I make an argument: the current group in the Senate is called Lega-Psd'Az, and to keep the seat in the Politics, these two parties will have to confirm the agreement. And who will be the leaders? "

That is, will the League ask Solinas to run?

“It's a hypothesis. In any case, to arrive prepared for the Regionals it is necessary to leave on time. The other day was only the first step ».

But has it defined the perimeter of the future coalition?

"Absolutely not. That was an initiative of the current opposition groups in the Council. Now the path will have to be extended to other political forces, to associations, to civic commitment ».

What other political forces?

«Well, in 2014 Pigliaru won with a center-left coalition extended to include some independence forces. Then, in five years, we managed to destroy it. We must bring back to dialogue many who in 2019 were divided (in addition to the 5 Stars), and who are not represented in the Council today ".

In 2019 the dialogue with the independence area ran aground on the concept of the Sardinian nation. Is the center-left ready to accept it today?

«First of all, I say that it is a fascinating subject. But must it become a battle of principle, which is also legitimate, or can we think about how to make Sardinian society truly independent? Does it matter to be formally independent, or to be able to decide what kind of development, economy, environment, society we want? "

What development model would you like?

«No, I don't want to anticipate these issues, because I really believe in the path I have described to you: if we seek serious involvement of other subjects, we will decide the programs together. Leaving on time allows you not to decide everything close to the elections. The alternative is to tell the voters: we vote because we are better than the others. But that's not enough ».

What, then, should be the next step?

«Organize initiatives such as that of Cagliari in all territories, and start an open path of true participation, towards a shared project. The method affects the quality of the final proposal: and the right method, in my opinion, is based on listening to and paying attention to the needs of the territories ».

Isn't it enough to have a winning application?

"No. A candidate in the end is always found, good or not. The difference can be made by the previous path. The only one who did this in the era of direct election was Renato Soru. He might like it or not, but he worked out a participatory idea. The others, afterwards, did not. I myself did not have time to start a long journey, I was asked to save what can be saved and I made myself available. We made a valid proposal, which would have made us better deal with the pandemic too ».

In what sense?

«We hypothesized agile work for the Region, well regulated: we would have been ready even in an emergency. And then the elimination of temporary employment with permanent hires. If the president had not blocked the competitions in healthcare in 2019, the system would have held up better to Covid ".

He will admit that, for the council, a pandemic after only one year of government was an exceptional difficulty.

"Sure. But it does not seem to me that the president has really dealt with the emergency, he has passed all the responsibility on the councilor Nieddu ».

Well, Solinas tried to lock up the island, and various press conferences are remembered on the emergency.

“Yes, those in which journalists' questions first had to be screened by the press office. In any case, we have hardly ever seen him in the Council. He never takes a stand. As in the case of military exercises in southern Sardinia. The Joint Committee did not meet, and he did not give precise information, leaving the Sardinians and tourists in the general confusion. Overall, the management of the Region is a real disaster ».

If he thinks that, then he should be sure of winning the next election.

«But Solinas exercises power, multiplies the seats of sub-government. There is an altered number of people who have obtained positions guaranteed with public money, or are waiting for them. The point is: how much awareness is there of this reality? I don't think Solinas would win the election again, but some center-right advisers in 2024 are likely to get more votes than before, thanks to that use of power. If their coalition remains united, it will not be easy to beat them ».

Perhaps more effective opposition would have been needed.

“In the pandemic phase we gave the majority the willingness to quickly launch the emergency measures, pressing the council with our proposals on the merits. On the other hand, the restrictions have made it impossible for us to meet among ourselves and meet people, to oppose people ».

Don't you find, however, that there have been different ways of making opposition?

“There may have been different strategies, we Progressives have always been tough and uncompromising. But the fact that we spoke with one voice the other day shows that we have found a harmony. Apart from the emergency, we have all given our willingness to discuss restarting, Pnrr, and more. But on the other hand there is an inability to dialogue for the good of the island, and so it is necessary to report the disaster. To quote Totò, every limit has a patience ».

Do you already have a candidate for president in mind for 2024?

«As I said, a candidate is found. We have to win and find a president ».

Is she running?

«I have had a lot from politics, you have to be generous: if I were asked to make myself available, I would think about it. But I have never elbowed ».

Could you reapply to be the mayor of Cagliari?

«The same is true. Thinking only about one's own political future is a selfishness that has carved the furrow between citizens and politics. It cannot be personal ambition that determines the candidacies. I can tell you that so far I have given up on various occasions to go to Parliament, or to the government ».

Did they ask you to be a minister? In what ministry?

“I was asked. But I answered no ».

Was it Renzi who asked him?

"Certainly not Salvini."

At the time there was talk of his entry into the Democratic Party. And now? Today you don't have a national party of reference.

"Never had a Pd card. Now we are doing a good job in Sardinia with the Progressives, and we have contacts with various regional groups (Lazio, Campania, Emilia, Lombardy and others) which, like us, do not have a national party ».

But could you join the Democratic Party? It is said that a part of the Sardinian Dems are hostile to her.

«I have maintained correct relations with everyone; if there are political differences, it can be. In general, a progressive, socialist, ecological project can be reconstructed from these territorial networks. Even on a national scale. Always in the center-left, involving a part of the electorate ».

In short, there is a void on the left to be filled.

"Yes sure. There is no organized leftist force. It is also true that you cannot play football with the rules of tennis. That is: in the Politics, in single-member constituencies, it makes sense to join forces. But in the Regionals you have to run with more lists ».

And in the center, however, how far can the alliance go? Renzi, Calenda? Or maybe even the UDC and the Reformers?

“As I told you before, I don't draw the boundaries. What matters is the clarity of the proposals. But I find it difficult to say today that the Giunta Solinas is a disaster, and tomorrow to agree with them ».

Giuseppe Meloni

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