I’m 84, now I’m like the house cat»- Corriere.it

In 2013, after
the case of the «101» snipers who stopped his run at the Colle,
Roman
Prodi decided not to renew his Democratic Party card.
Then, over time, that deep wound slowly healed and the former prime minister returned, on more than one occasion, to be a bit of a “noble father” dispensing advice in the most delicate moments. But always remaining behind the scenes, without playing more directly on the political stage.

And now,
after the Democratic Party seems awaited by a radical revolution with the victory of Elly Schlein,
Is it time to get your party card back? “Hand. Personally it would also be a bit strange – replies Prodi, in Agorà su Rai Tre —. I am 84 years old. I’m sort of a house cat now. But I’ve always been close to the party, I tried to give all the advice I could, both to Bonaccini and to Schlein. I try to make it clear that this is the only party. And that the parties are the only tool for the government not to be guided by phenomena, by fireworks that last only one season”.

The former prime minister, a Catholic, despite a farewell to the party like that of Beppe Fioroni, after the triumph in the primaries of the left secretary, however, he does not seem to fear splits between the dem: “Catholics still feel at home in the Democratic Party. There are different sensitivities, I too have encountered problems with the Dico – reflects prodi again -. Religion is very different from politics, as Sturzo said. In society it is necessary to make certain synthesis». And then: «It’s one thing to feel at ease at home, another thing to feel like a master of the house. We need to distinguish rights, which belong to everyone, from flags, which can belong to individuals. Schlein will have to interpret the differences between rights and flags».

About Schlein —
of which he had said: «I practically saw her being born»
— the day after the debut in Parliament against Prime Minister Meloni, the former leader of the Ulivo adds: «It’s a nice idea to start with a minimum wage, it’s a right. I believe – concludes Prodi – that with this incipit a serious approach has been taken to the problems of internal social justice and to European coordination, because the minimum wage is a common heritage, which is, among other things, very elementary and very banal. Someone calls it a revolutionary fact. Well, well. Let’s use words well: the minimum wage is a right».