The fall of Draghi and the Meloni government. Mattarella's encore and insularity in the Constitution, the (Italian and Sardinian) politics of 2022
Twelve months to retrace, also in images, through the news of Unionesarda.it
2022 is coming to an end. A year of successes and momentous events, but also conflicts and tragedies.
A year to retrace, also in images, through the news of UnioneSarda.it.
Third stage: the main facts of politics.
2022 begins with a tragedy, a bolt from the blue. The death, in the night between 10 and 11 January, of the president of the European Parliament David Sassoli, aged 65 .
He had been hospitalized for days in the oncological center of Aviano (Pordenone) due to the occurrence of a serious complication due to a dysfunction of the immune system.
Already in September, the Democratic Party politician had been hospitalized in Strasbourg for " bad legionella pneumonia ". By December, his condition had worsened again, requiring hospitalization.
His staff greeted him like this: «You can live and die in many ways. David Sassoli fought and worked until the last possible moment, getting informed, actively participating in the cause of the common good with indomitable curiosity and passion despite his increasingly precarious state of health, after the temporary recovery some time ago».
The condolences of Italian politics and the European institutions are great.
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QUIRINALE, SERGIO MATTARELLA RE-ELECTED FOR A SECOND TERM
Mattarella bis al Colle. What happened with Giorgio Napolitano is repeated: what was supposed to be unique becomes customary. The parties, after having burned a flood of names for the race for the Quirinale, go on their knees to the outgoing Head of State (who also had "other plans" and had already started the move) and ask him to accept a second mandate .
In the eighth vote, having burned the names of Mario Draghi, Elisabetta Casellati, Letizia Moratti, Marcello Pera, Silvio Berlusconi, Sabino Cassese, Elisabetta Belloni, Parliament in joint session acclaimed Sergio Mattarella reserving him 759 votes . The only party that stands out is the Brothers of Italy, which votes together for Carlo Nordio, later appointed Minister of Justice in the Meloni government.
«These difficult days, during a serious health, economic and social emergency, call for a sense of responsibility and respect for Parliament's decisions. These considerations must prevail over other considerations and different personal perspectives, with the commitment to interpret the expectations and hopes of our fellow citizens », affirms the Head of State. Among the conditions placed on the parties to accept the encore, that of leaving Draghi at Palazzo Chigi until the end of the term. But that's another story.
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ADMINISTRATIVE ELECTIONS, ALSO 65 SARDINIAN MUNICIPALITIES VOTE
On 12 June, local elections will be voted on, with the citizens of 65 Sardinian municipalities also called to the polls ( HERE all the mayors elected on the island).
In Sardinia , the results smile at the centre-right, which wins in the two main municipalities – Selargius and Oristano – in the first round, with Gigi Concu (reconfirmed) and Massimiliano Sanna . Also noteworthy is the case (unique in Italy) of the three Sardinian mayors in their fourth consecutive term : Ciccolini in Bitti, Gaviano in Serri and Melas in Siamanna, all re-elected under a regional law challenged by the Government but still in force.
At the national level, a good result for the centre-left, which wrested several cities from its rivals and triumphed in particular in the ballots , with a very important symbolic success. That of the former footballer Damiano Tommasi who wins in a historic right-wing stronghold like Verona .
The turnout figure is very low, at 54.73% in Italy. Sardinia is even worse, which is only better than Calabria at the regional level.
The referendum on justice launched by the League and the centre-right presidents of the region was soundly rejected : only 20.9% went to the polls, a lack of quorum and the worst result in the history of the Italian referendum.
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THE SPLIT IN THE 5 STAR MOVEMENT
An era ends for the 5 Star Movement . Luigi Di Maio, who led M5s to become the first party in the 2018 general election, is leaving the party.
The clash between the foreign minister and the leader Giuseppe Conte had been going on for months. A rupture that manifested itself in the negotiations for the choice of the new president of the Republic and subsequently exacerbated, when Conte began to become increasingly critical of the Draghi government and doubtful about sending arms to Ukraine .
Thus Di Maio announced the split on 21 June and founded "Impegno Civico", bringing with him about seventy parliamentarians .
"A painful choice that I never imagined having to make, but we necessarily had to choose which side to take in history, with Ukraine attacked by the Russian aggressor", he says, accusing Conte of "striking the stability of the government only for reasons related to the crisis of consensus".
Many parliamentarians who follow him, not the voters, as the subsequent general elections will demonstrate. His new party, allied with the Democratic Party in the center-left coalition, stops at 0.6%, far from the threshold . And Luigi Di Maio, who has remained out of Parliament, resigns as secretary of Civic Commitment . But the EU is already ready to entrust him with the task of EU special envoy in the Persian Gulf .
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THE DRAGHI GOVERNMENT FALLS, MATTARELLA DISSOLVES THE ROOMS
On 21 July the Draghi government fell. The Prime Minister resigns after communications to the Senate : the question of trust is approved, he obtains a relative majority but not an absolute one. The M5s senators do not cast their vote, those of Lega and Forza Italia leave the room.
The crisis had been opened by Giuseppe Conte , particularly on the government's economic policy. The center-right took advantage of it, presented a motion asking Draghi to form a new government without the 5 Stars but the premier, being his national unity executive born at the request of Mattarella, did not want to continue without the support of the first party in Parliament . Thus, having taken note of the vote, he went up to Colle to resign and Mattarella dissolved the Chambers, calling new elections.
Draghi will remain in office for the processing of current affairs until 22 October. Born on February 21, 2021 to carry on the vaccination campaign and the PNRR, his government is facing the war in Ukraine with the dramatic consequences also on the prices of bills and consumer goods.
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JULY 28, HISTORIC DAY FOR SARDINIA: INSULARITY ENTERS INTO THE CONSTITUTION
On 28 July, the Chamber approved the principle of insularity in the Constitution in the second reading . It is the definitive go-ahead for a project that Sardinia has been fighting for for years.
A new paragraph is added to article 119 of the Charter: «The Republic recognizes the peculiarities of the Islands and promotes the necessary measures to remove the disadvantages deriving from insularity» .
A unanimous ok (412 votes in favor, no against, one abstention) received with a long round of applause from the House.
«We have changed the course of history: today Parliament expressed its willingness to recognize the rights of the islands. From this moment on, Sardinia and all the islands of Italy have the same rights, recognized by the State, and the possibility of initiating the change necessary to overcome the handicaps which have held back their development up to now ", comments the president of the special commission for insularity and of the promoting committee Michele Cossa.
Many in the parliamentary interventions have recalled the theme of the daily disadvantage faced by those who live on an island. Even more those who live in Sardinia, "isolated in the center of the Mediterranean".
Now, in order not to let this principle remain an empty box, it must be filled with content and bridge the gap in terms of infrastructure, transport, economic disadvantages that force thousands of Sardinians to leave their land due to lack of work.
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POLITICAL ELECTIONS, THE TRIUMPH OF GIORGIA MELONI
The political elections of 25 September mark the triumph of the center-right and above all of Giorgia Meloni.
Brothers of Italy is the first party and goes beyond forecasts, obtaining 26%. Followed by the Democratic Party with 19% and the 5 Star Movement with 15.4%. The League collapses to 8.7%, which thanks to the strength of the coalition and the mechanism of single-member constituencies manages to obtain many parliamentarians. Forza Italia is at 8.11%, the Third Pole of Renzi and Calenda at 7.79%. At 3.63% Greens-Italian Left .
All the other parties are below the threshold, including the anti-system and the no-vax.
Furthermore, the divided centre-left gives a large majority to the centre-right thanks to the mechanism of single-member constituencies envisaged by the Rosatellum. In fact, the Pd manages to ally itself only with Verdi-Left Italy, + Europe and Civic Commitment. The 5 Star Movement and the Third Pole formed by Italia Viva and Action run alone.
The coalition led by Giorgia Meloni can count on 237 seats in the Chamber (out of 400 total) and 115 in the Senate (out of 200 total). There are 16 parliamentarians elected in Sardinia : 11 deputies and 5 senators.
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FONTANA AND THE RUSSIAN CHAMBER AND SENATE PRESIDENTS
The new Parliament is immediately called, as usual, to elect the presidents of the two branches.
On 13 October it was the turn of the Senate, which brought Ignazio La Russa to the highest seat . The former defense minister was elected thanks to some snipers from the centre-left. In fact, that day there was a break between Silvio Berlusconi and Giorgia Meloni, with Forza Italia not voting for the president of the Senate and upping the ante in view of the division of government posts. The rift will heal.
On 14 October, Montecitorio elects the Northern League's Lorenzo Fontana as president with 222 votes .
Both choices of the centre-right are heavily criticized by the opposition. The two presidents of the Chambers, in fact, are figures with a strong identity and not - as usual - more institutional and super partes.
THE MELONI GOVERNMENT IS BORN IN LESS THAN A MONTH
The government was born less than a month after the elections. On October 21, Sergio Mattarella gives the task to Giorgia Meloni , who immediately after the meeting, in the press room of the Quirinale, reads the list of ministers ( here it is).
The deputy premiers are Salvini, who goes to Infrastructure, and Tajani, who goes to Foreign Affairs. There is the Sardinian Calderone al Lavoro, called to manage the delicate dossier of the basic income .
Matteo Piantedosi goes to the Interior, Carlo Nordio to the Justice, Guido Crosetto to the Defense, Giancarlo Giorgetti to the Economy.
The Prime Minister and the ministers swear the confidence vote in the Chamber with 235 yes on the 25th October, on the 26th in the Senate with 115 yes.
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On 22 November, another mourning shook the world of politics. The death of Roberto Maroni, historic manager of the League, who died at the age of 67 due to a serious illness he had been battling for some time .
Federal secretary of the Northern League from 1 July 2012 to 15 December 2013, he was several times minister of the Berlusconi governments.
At the Viminale in the first and fourth Cav government (the first outside the Christian Democrats to hold this role), at Labor and Social Policies in the Berlusconi II and III executives.
From 2013 to 2018 he was president of the Lombardy Region.
“Tonight our dear Bobo left us. To those who asked him how he was, even in his last moments, he always replied 'Good'. You were so Bobo, an incurable optimist . You have been a great husband, father and friend », the announcement of the family on social media.
Lega supporter of the first hour, Maroni had never looked favorably on the nationalist and sovereignist turn of the League under the leadership of Matteo Salvini.
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RESHUFFLED IN THE REGION, SOLINAS PRESENTS THE NEW COUNCIL
After months and months of negotiations, the reshuffle announced several times by Christian Solinas finally arrives .
The Sardinian governor launches the new Giunta in the night between 28 and 29 November ( HERE the names).
The League loses Mario Nieddu to Health , but sends Pierluigi Saiu to Public Works and Valeria Satta to Agriculture. Giuseppe Fasolino (who also becomes vice president) and Ada Lai of Forza Italia go respectively to the Budget and to Work .
Aldo Salaris of the Riformatori goes to Town Planning and Local Authorities, while the UDC reconfirms Andrea Biancareddu to Education. Fdi sends Marco Porcu to the Environment, Anita Pili of Sardinia 2020 goes to the Industry.
As for Psd'Az, Gianni Chessa is confirmed in Tourism, Antonio Moro goes to Transport to manage the delicate continuity dossier . Andrea Farris goes to General Affairs, the lawyer Quirico Sanna is head of the president's cabinet.
Carlo Doria goes to Sanità as a technician in place of Nieddu.
«A composition that takes into account a balance between skills, professionalism and representation», says Solinas, « now we count on relaunching government action in the post-pandemic phase, in the Junta there are the resources and skills to trace a path that sees the conclusion by focusing on health, urban planning, energy and transport ».
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THE PHOTO GALLERY
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The stages:
December 20 – The war in Ukraine, the death of Elizabeth, the protests for Mahsa, the Qatargate: the facts in the world of 2022
