Bello ciao: this is how the left greets Conte to embrace Schlein

Florence, from our correspondent

Dante looks at them (ah for Tomaso Montanari the great poet “was anti-fascist”: warn Gennaro Sangiuliano). Maurizio Landini blesses them (the inevitable white health T-shirt, shirt, sweater, jacket on a reassuring face: the look of the head of the CGIL looks a bit like that of a country curate and therefore everything holds together).

Zoom: here is finally in Piazza Santa Croce the meeting between Joseph Conte and Elly Schlein. They cross each other twice. The first among a crowd of cameras, which looks like a historic football match that is in fact played right here. The second on stage for six round minutes. They talk about the Constitution, health and school. No war in Ukraine. The agreements of the respective staff are these. “Let’s work to oppose together.” So we ask the former premier if he convinced the dem to turn to unarmed pacifism. He laughs heartily: “I’ll work on it.” Just today you gave an interview to the New York Times to say that “the sending of arms is necessary”. In short, better to postpone. Elly, this is Giuseppi. The square shouts: “Resignation for Valditara and Piantedosi”.

It is the day of the great transfer. Or the return to the fold of the lost red sheep. A piece of the world seems to be on the move: Arci, the CGIL, the Anpi, the collectives, the grandmothers, the workers, perhaps former voters of the Democratic Party, perhaps voters of the M5s, the unemployed of the Income, the flags of Iran and of Yugoslavia. They are all in jujube broth for the new secretary of the Democratic Party. Clenched fists, Bella bye, “Elly do it black”. They greet him, they invoke her. Uncle and nephew. And it doesn’t matter if in this counter-exodus still to be tested a thousand contradictions remain, such as precisely those on the war. The left that now sees the anti-Meloni in the dem is the same one that, however, is starting to have Zelensky and his battle for freedom on its goiter. They are all short circuits yet to be tested. But the glance leaves no doubts. Debora Serrachiani, group leader in the Chamber for who knows how long, is happy as hell: “We have reversed the balance of power with the M5: it’s about time”

Conte, immersed in this painting by Guttuso full of hammers and sickles, lives the day in pursuit, it must be said. He remains a pop character, and takes selfies during the procession (40,000 participants, according to the organizers). He talks a lot with the press. More generous than ever. He also makes statements to TeleArno and RadioChianti. He gets poked. President, isn’t there too much red for you? “But I’m in fact dressed in blue.” Does he feel like in the Fourth Estate? “But there is a lack of workers.”

Meanwhile, the ally, twenty years younger and a kilometer further on, has begun to eat off his plate. It is the head of the procession. The students give her a painting with Calamandrei, Agnoletti and the Rosselli brothers. You walk with Peppe Provenzano, former deputy secretary at the time of Enrico Letta (absent, as opposed to a re-energized Nicola Zingaretti). The mayor of Florence Dario Nardella, who welcomed her to Palazzo Vecchio, does not leave her for a moment. Have you talked about the presidency of the Democratic Party? “Me and Elly don’t talk about these things.” She will be. In the foreground also Alessandro Zan and then Marco Furfaro, the new masters of dem steam.

Newism, more than entryism, still works in and around the Democratic Party. And so everyone’s crazy about Elly around here. An algorithm of photocopied statements to be produced for the thirty seconds required by all TVs, but immediately anxious in front of reporters’ questions. “What do I think of Conte? Flavio, you come here and you answer”. Flavio is the name of Alivernini, the spokesperson for the new secretary (who so far has never answered a question: tomorrow the TV debut in Fabio Fazio’s living room). He fends off: “I don’t like appearing, please don’t throw me in the way”. Even if he so far he is a very central figure. And he will continue to be.

These are details, the square wants the leader. And she doesn’t shy away, she waves her little hand to everyone who calls her. It’s a first time she notices. Then Conte arrives, and it is immediately the shot that gives meaning to a day of mobilization with chants and slogans that are not exactly avant-garde. The two exchange shirts on the Constitution: they look like the captains of football teams when they gave each other their respective pennants before the start of the game.

In short, this is the photo, then there is the frame. The Left and Verdi also participate in the demonstrations in Florence, therefore Fratoianni & Bonelli, then there is a delegation from Italia viva with Teresa Bellanova (but Action has forfeited) and as a side dish a myriad of parties born from the various splits of the Communist Refoundation. “Here Bignami is needed to catalog all the acronyms present: from the Communist Alternative, to the Italian Communists up to the Communist Party, the Communist Youth Front, De Magistris’ Popular Union and shall I continue?”, asks a militant. Meanwhile, a small group of boys punctuates the chorus: “Marshal Tito taught us: killing a fascist is not a crime”. You are in an eternal film by Marco Bellocchio.

Conte and Schlein will meet again in Rome. In the meantime, however, the head of the M5s wants to take measures: on Wednesday he will fly to Brussels to meet Philippe Lambert, head of the Greens in Strasbourg to speed up the entry of the M5s into the European family. A world to respond to Elly’s takeover bid (even if the German Greens turn up their mouths: we’re still there on war, they’re in favor of sending arms to Ukraine). But the former prime minister is in a hurry and he has to keep on the move. As much as possible. Because in the meantime the ally-competitor is going like a train. Today he also received a call from Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament. As soon as he can, Schlein will pack his suitcase for a European tour at the home of the leaders of the left. From Sanchez and Scholz. He wants to be the anti-Meloni. And Conte understood it too. Nice bye.

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• Simone Canettieri

• Viterbese, 1982. On paper since September 2020 as editor. Eight years for the Messenger (in the news and for the politician). Even earlier in Emilia Romagna as a correspondent (between the birth of the M5s and the earthquake), in Florence as editor of the Nuovo Corriere (dealing with crime and judicial news every morning). He started in Viterbo at 19 with skating and minor football, then at 26 he got his first job. He has written for Oggi, Linkiesta, travel and gastronomy inserts. He collaborated with RadioRai, but also with local television and radio stations that never paid. Agnes 2020 Award for printed paper in Italy.