“Abuse of office? An intolerable sword of Damocles, the facts prove it. We have to overcome it»- Corriere.it

Minister Luca Ciriani, the tension between the government and the robes has triggered a clash between state powers. Does acting in the sign of Berlusconi take us back thirty years?
“This is not the picture, we have no interest in fueling a clash – assures the head of relations with Parliament -. The reform is not against magistrates. Minister Nordio, who is implementing it, is also a magistrate. There is a government program voted on by the citizens and the Chambers and we are required to respect it».

The Nordio bill arrives in Parliament after the confrontation between Mattarella and Meloni on justice. Will you abolish the abuse of office, even if Brussels and Colle are asking for caution?
«Maximum respect for the Quirinale. However, abuse of office as it stands is not effective. The facts and statistics prove it and the request comes from the mayors, even those of the Democratic Party. It is an intolerable sword of Damocles and we want to protect respectable administrators».

Is there a risk that Mattarella will not promulgate the law?
“I think there won’t be any problems. In the parliamentary process, which is still long, we will act so that the law is consistent with the Constitution. There may be improvements and additions, but the system is the same. Abuse of office as we know it must be overcome”.

On external competition, the majority is divided. Tajani agrees with Nordio on the need to reform it, but for Mantovano and Salvini it is not a priority.
«There is no trace of it in the Nordio text and it has never been mentioned in the Council of Ministers. It is a complex and delicate issue and it does not seem urgent to me to intervene. As FdI and as a government we do not want to give even the sensation of weakening the fight against the mafia, with debates that tend to obscure its action”.

How strong is Prime Minister Meloni’s embarrassment for the three names of FdI, Delmastro, Santanchè and La Russa, at the center of the controversy of these days on justice?
«They are different events from each other, La Russa is only called into question as a father. As President Meloni said, there are some passages that leave us perplexed, the decisions of the investigating judge are respected but can also be criticized. After that the principle of not guilty applies to everyone. If necessary they will defend themselves in the trial and I trust that they will demonstrate their non-involvement in the accusations”.

Even after the villa deal in Forte dei Marmi, Santanchè’s position keeps the majority uneasy. Are you sure you will vote together to reject the motion of no confidence?
“Yes, we will vote against. Compact”.

There are those, even in the League, who believe that Santanchè should resign due to political expediency.
“We cannot transform Parliament into a court. Let the judiciary take its steps, the minister has the right to defend himself and prove his innocence. The problem is not the political expediency, if anything the displeasure because the great reform issues of the country on which we are committed are being obscured, such as fiscal delegation, regional autonomy and justice reform”.

For the ANM, the separation of careers is a danger to democracy. Do you aim to control prosecution?
«The separation of careers is a constitutional issue, we will talk about it in due time. Better to do one thing at a time and not put things together that don’t fit together. But when respect and dialogue are invoked by the judiciary, statements like these should be avoided”.

Ignazio La Russa has appointed a lawyer to put an end to “political speculation” on his son. Did he do well or does he contribute to raising the level of the confrontation?
«I don’t know, I don’t want to get into his choices. It’s a private matter, involving two families and a girl he reported. I hope that the judiciary will be able to clarify soon ».

What do you think of the Senate president’s immediate reaction in defense of his son and against the girl?
“La Russa reacted humanely as a father, but said he will respect the judges’ decision.”

Are you “resoundingly late” on the Pnrr, as Calenda denounces?
«No, the government and Minister Fitto have done a gigantic job, the third installment is arriving and we are already working on the fourth. Italy is not at all behind other countries. We corrected the Pnrr in ten points and I remember that those who now give us lessons wanted to build football stadiums with that money».

In view of the European Championships, Salvini plays as Meloni’s antagonist. What is the strategy to stop attrition?
«I don’t see any attrition, I see a majority working together and it will last five years. In 2024 we will vote with proportional representation and everyone is trying to bring grist to their mill. What is worn out is the opposition because it has lost power, the only glue it had».

The Political Diary newsletter

If you want to stay updated on political news, subscribe to the newsletter “Political Diary”. It is dedicated to Corriere della Sera subscribers and arrives twice a week at 12. Just click here.