What if it weren't just a question of representation but was, instead, more precisely, and also, a question of representativeness? If it weren't just a matter of being guaranteed a Sardinian representative in Europe, but it was also a matter of guaranteeing the effective and real capacity of any local representative to be a spokesperson and promoter of the interests of the Sardinian people in the presence of a Europe that says it is to guarantee the needs of insular and peripheral regions, but very little attention (perhaps) seems to be dedicated to the Sardinian island?

Let's be clear: the reason for the discontent that for several years has accompanied the electoral competition for the conquest of the seat in Europe lurks, now as in past years, in the dynamics of the so-called "unifications" between territories which, all things considered, would seem to present, as in fact they present demographic, morphological and linguistic characteristics that are very different and not at all comparable. And again let's understand each other better: one cannot claim to reduce everything to an exquisitely numerical fact, since a right, of any consistency and substance, whatever one wants to say about it, must be guaranteed in its fullness both to a single individual and to a entire community regardless of its numerical consistency.

In recent days, thanks to the local media, the news has come out that, on the initiative of the Sardinian senator in the Democratic Party, Marco Meloni, the process has been initiated in the Senate concerning the bill for the establishment of the Sardinia constituency in view of the forthcoming and very close European Parliament elections in 2024.

It would seem that in this way, at least, the presence of two Sardinian exponents would be guaranteed. Nulla quaestio: if only it weren't that, even only numerically speaking, the Sardinian voice would probably, and in any case, be less "incisive" (it is only an argumentative but potentially realistic hypothesis) than that of the Sicilian "brothers", the which, always on the numerical level, also in consideration of the insistent demographic density there, would still be more and more "guaranteed" and represented.

In short: if we want to implement a reform, at least on a national level, it is necessary to review in a decisive and precise manner the conditions set by law number 18 of 1979 which, until now, has been called upon to regulate the dynamics of the division of constituencies, without however guarantee the dutiful and very appropriate principle of fair representation for the Sardinians. And the latest electoral competitions of European importance are a clear practical demonstration of this. This has been observed for some time at the local level.

Sardinia cannot continue to share a single insular constituency with Sicily if it does not want to continue to suffer unjust exclusions from decision-making bodies especially when the maximum explanation of the principle of equality lies precisely in respect for diversity.

To say it otherwise, and it will probably appear in the eyes of most as a chimera, Sardinia should be guaranteed a priori, and precisely because of its greater and undisputed "criticality" on a geographical and morphological level, the same number of representatives guaranteed to the appearing Region Sicilian.

If a change is to be made, then it shouldn't be a mere facade change. We "demand", in compliance with the highest institutions, a level playing field between insular realities to ensure the rebalancing of the starting conditions.

Although they are still generically insular realities, Sardinian insularity has always presented very different connotations compared to the Sicilian one, which, all things considered, even geographically arguing, being practically physically "attached" to the peninsula (the distance is really minimal), does not present that condition of morphological marginality which instead seriously penalizes our territorial reality for which no solitude that can be said to be satisfactory has been found to date. Meanwhile, because primarily it would be necessary to agree on the objectives that Sardinia, an insular region with respect to the Peninsula but peripheral to the European complex, intends to pursue already in the short term. Therefore, because, on closer consideration, the discussion of the question relating to the so-called "territorial continuity" would seem to have priority, which must be guaranteed on conditions of absolute equality in order to stem the condition of geographical "isolation". Lastly, because, in order to fully guarantee the representation of the Sardinian people in Europe, a synergistic initiative would be appropriate involving both the Sardinian Regional Council in its entirety, and the Italian Government through the Presidency of the Council, because it is known, it is always unity makes strength, and Rome must be the first to be the decisive and decisive spokesperson for the interests of its national territory in its entirety.

Without taking anything away from our Sicilian friends, it cannot be denied that the Sardinian question, in all its well-known complexity, needs specific attention, if only because of its geographical position. It would be necessary to regain awareness of the importance of playing a role both at a national level, as well as at a Community and international level also considering our strategic position in the Mediterranean.

It is difficult to say whether the time is ripe for the achievement of the objective in question, especially since the next electoral contests for the composition of the European Parliament are very close, and time seems, at present, to be more tyrannical than friendly.

Giuseppina Di Salvatore – Lawyer, Nuoro

© Riproduzione riservata