She does not intend to step back, but she is increasingly isolated. In the government and in her party. Daniela Santanchè does not retreat an inch, she reiterates that she would be ready to resign in the event of a referral to trial for the Covid fund proceedings, but not now after the one for false accounting: "I am absolutely calm because I know what the issues are on the merits".
Yet for days now, pressure has been on the minister to consider a different choice. "I believe she is still in an evaluation phase, I believe she is evaluating and I am sure she will evaluate well," said Ignazio La Russa, one of the FdI exponents closest to her. Words that are read in the party as a clear signal: the issue of resignations is indeed there. It is difficult to predict any changes in the next few hours, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni leaving for Saudi Arabia, where Santanchè herself is expected in the next few days. The two will not cross paths in Jeddah but could do so upon their return to Rome.
The situation could accelerate next week, beyond the hearing of the Supreme Court of Cassation called on Wednesday to decide on the jurisdiction of the proceedings for fraud against INPS on the Covid fund, between Milan and Rome . In the meantime, there will also be a new episode of Report which has already announced revelations on the Visibilia case. Another big name from FdI, Giovanni Donzelli, also spoke yesterday about ongoing "evaluations". But in the meantime, the Minister of Tourism has continued "business as usual", with posts and confirming her agenda. So at the Motor Bike Expo in Verona, she showed up to praise "a rock fair" and say that she "gave up riding a motorbike when they introduced the helmet law". But above all, to make it clear that stepping back is not on her mind. "On this issue of false accounting, there is no political implication - she pointed out -, there is no malice, there is no damage and I am certain that I will be acquitted, so I am absolutely calm" . Relations with the prime minister, she replied to journalists, are "as always, as always. No one has ever asked me to take a step back - she then assured -. I have always said that I am absolutely calm because I know how the issues are on the merits".
(Online Union)
