“No to presidentialism. Indicating the prime minister candidate as the most important point for us»- Corriere.it

Carlo Calenda, leader of Action, how did the meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni go?
“It was useful to make the government understand our position on the reforms.”

What is the most important point?

«No to presidentialism. We have marked a red line on the President of the Republic that cannot be crossed».

Are you and also Italy alive by Matteo Renzi?

“On this point, yes.”

On which points do you disagree?

“Italia viva, for example, expresses a univocal position on the mayor of Italy”.

And his Action?

«For us it is a possible and desirable model but it is not the only one to give stability and strength to the executive. It can be done as in Germany where there is a constructive lack of confidence and a very short time within which to look for a replacement for the Chancellor otherwise there will be elections. The pro of the mayor model is the popular investiture, the cons is that in Great Britain, for example, we would still have Boris Johnson and in Italy there would have been no Conte-Draghi replacement. For us, the important thing is that there is an indication of the candidate for prime minister and that he is then in charge of forming the government. Subsequently he goes to the Chambers for trust and builds his own team, appoints the ministers and can revoke them ».

The no to presidentialism is dry. No opening on semi-presidentialism? Prime Minister Meloni pointed out that in France in twenty years there have been four presidents of the Republic, that is, four heads of the executive. You don’t convince her?

“No. Because we are a country of Guelphs and Ghibellines where the only institution in which we have all recognized ourselves over time is the President of the Republic».

During the meeting there was a large government delegation with the premier: did you only speak?

“No, even the Minister of Reforms Elisabetta Alberti Casellati”.

To say?

“He pointed out something important. That in the system of mayors the municipal councils are completely emptied and, in fact, only the mayors count. It is clear that any strengthening of the executive must be accompanied by a balancing of the powers of Parliament”.

One of your proposals is the overcoming of bicameralism. How was it received?

«The premier has not clarified whether she wants to touch bicameralism. For us it is important to give greater efficiency to Parliament”.

Which Chamber would you leave standing?

“The Senate. It’s our story, it became a central body in 509 BC. Abolishing the Senate for someone like me who is passionate about Roman history is a blow to the heart”.

What else is important for you to do to give efficiency to the state apparatus?

«A deep coupon to federalism. That’s where it all comes together.”

What it means?

“If we work to strengthen the premier’s powers but then the action is delegated to the regional governments, it is useless”.

Are you alluding to the reform of differentiated autonomy wanted by the Northern League’s Roberto Calderoli?

“It is a reform that creates a lot of confusion. Let’s just think of the possibility that the Regions have of creating their own company for the distribution of electricity. An armchair factory that complicates everything. And it goes in the opposite direction to the reform that wants to strengthen the powers of the prime minister”.

Are these reforms an urgency for the country? Or, as Elly Schlein says, are they a method to distract attention from fundamental issues such as work, health, the Pnrr?

“They’re urgent, we wouldn’t have tried to do them otherwise. But issues such as the collapse of the health service, the Pnrr, incomes cannot be left behind. We have to go hand in hand. The activity of the reforms is very long, you can’t stop everything”.

How do these meetings in the form of consultations sound to you?

“A very positive way to proceed. Then it will be necessary to decide on the deliberative form, be it a special, bicameral commission or a government initiative. This has not yet been clarified.”

Have you already heard from the other oppositions to discuss?

“No, but I’ll hear from them in the next few days.”

Maria Elena Boschi says that coordination with the opposition is not necessary for Italia viva, much less with the 5 Stars.
«When we discuss institutional reforms we talk to the government and the opposition. It seems obvious to me.”

Can this joint negotiation with Renzi on the reforms lead us to think of a reconciliation?

«It is not a question of reconciliation: in Parliament we continue to work together. The point is that there was no real will to create a single party. I have taken note, but the work on the contents continues”

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