«I took over from Berlusconi and he was respectful. Then he offered me the leadership of the alliance »-Corriere.it

«With him I had convergences and disagreementsbut always in a relationship of respect and loyalty». Thus the former prime minister and life senator Mario Monti pays homage to Silvio Berlusconi and adds: «I owe him two debts of gratitude, one personal and one institutional. Because as soon as he became head of government in 1994, he wanted me European commissioner and because with the parliamentary support of his party, with Pd and Third pole in a real national unity, he allowed Italy and Europe to overcome, even with unpopular measures, the severe financial crisis exploded in 2011».

Do you have a personal memory?

«There are many and many are very humorous. In July 2004, when the second Berlusconi government broke with Tremonti, he and Gianni Letta called me on a Friday evening, to go to Macherio for dinner on Sunday evening, with his spouses. I told him that I was honored by the proposal and that I could even accept, but only if he renounced the promises, solemnly made to Door to door, to reduce taxes, because the situation did not allow it at the time. This happened on a cart, while the president showed me his park. Back in the villa, where our wives were waiting for us for dinner, Berlusconi announced: “Prof Monti is right, he has persuaded me that I can’t hire him as Economy Minister” ».

And the passage of the bell at Palazzo Chigi?

«Despite the various theses about the coup, he was visibly cordial, very cordial. First we were in his studio with Gianni Letta and Antonio Catricalà, then he and I retired. It was the moment in which we talk about state secrets, between outgoing and incoming premiers. He gave me a box of ties, and was generous with advice on Chigi’s personnel, on the use of the cinemas».

In 1994 he chose her as European Commissioner.

«I barely knew him, I didn’t imagine he would think of me. It was Ferruccio de Bortoli, if I remember correctly, who first gave me the indiscretion about my possible appointment. I had met Berlusconi at Villa d’Este, at the time he went and some of his friends made fun of him, they told him that he wanted to pose as a great man. At the time, Gianni Agnelli came to the Ambrosetti Forum at Villa d’Este».

How was your personal relationship?

«When I was commissioner and he was premier, I was able to communicate with him on basic issues. It didn’t happen often, he was considerate of my independence, but we talked. I was worried about the anti-European turn that his first government had taken. Another trip of mine to Macherio was when he, expecting to win in 2001, thought of me as foreign minister. The serious plots were numerous. But I preferred to continue in the Commission, chaired by Prodi, where in the meantime I had been confirmed by D’Alema».

And in 2011 was it cooperative?

«It ran on alternating current. Sometimes she supported me, sometimes she said she could pull the plug whenever she wanted. He had to show his former ministers that he was keeping me under pressure. But in reality he has always been very respectful, so much so that in October 2012 he came to ask me if I wanted to lead the centre-right ».

What is your opinion on Berlusconi’s economic policy legacy?

«For me, his greatest success in economic policy has been cultural and profoundly negative, with the expression of the State “that puts its hands in the pockets of Italians”. Strongly said by him, he has had a lot of impact. The expression has been taken up by others, including Meloni who speaks of the state protection money. The “disciplined and rigorous liberalism” that I had hoped for in an editorial on Corriere della Sera the day before he presented himself to the Chambers in ’94 he didn’t come out, as we know”.

After all, that was what the Italians asked of him.

«I, on the other hand, was asking for discipline in relations between the state and the market, on conflicts of interest and public finance managed with discipline. These things didn’t interest him very much.’

What about the political legacy?

“I think this disappearance will play into Meloni’s hands and bring her closer to the PPE”.

Berlusconi felt different from Trump yet he anticipated the trends of populist leaders around the world.

“Outside of Latin America he was the first populist leader. Trump was not in the Berlusconi persona, but promising people what they want in the short term and promising it in the short term was typical of both. Also typical of Boris Johnson. In this Berlusconi was a forerunner”.

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.