The stunts of Mahatma Tajani. Defended by Meloni, loved by Colle, he suffers in Forza Italia

He is a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023. They call him Antonio the “ordinator”, Tajani the “nuncio of the Interior”, the “poor Tonio”. He occupies three diplomatic posts. He is foreign minister of the Meloni government, ambassador of the Quirinale at Palazzo Chigi, diplomat who manages relations between Palazzo Chigi and the Holy See of Arcore. For twenty-four hours he has had to face a major international crisis along the Pontine canal. His candidate for the Lazio regional elections was “shredded” by the candidate of Claudio Fazzone, Tajani’s archenemy. While awaiting the title of Mahatma, Tajani is “taking” them from Meloni, who reproaches him for Berlusconi’s words about Zelensky, but also takes them from Berlusconi, who reproaches him for being too close to Meloni. It is the messenger, Mercury who is beaten, but able to smile and say: “I am happy”.

For Colle, for the Italians, and for Europe, he is the most reliable minister, for Forza Italia, the non-Tajanea party, he is the head of the “watermelon” delegation. The watermelons would be the ministers of Forza Italia, who according to the other part of Forza Italia, have “melonized” themselves. Tajani is proof of how cruel fate can be. It is the weakness of stability. National coordinator of FI, his electoral fiefdom is Lazio. Well, what happens? Mr. Fazzone, an Italian force who was about to be kicked out and internal antagonist of “poor Tonio”, manages to get Cosmo Mitrano elected, a regional councilor with over 12,500 preferences. Tajani’s candidate was Simone Foglia and he stopped at around 3,000 preferences. In Rome, Forza Italia failed to elect any director.

The final result of Forza Italia in Lazio is 8.43 percent and a good “five percent” is due to Fazzone. It is said, and whoever tells it is informed, that Meloni has decided to withdraw the civil action in the Ruby ter process, by the Prime Minister, with the aim of “strengthening” Tajani. In short, he would have given Berlusconi proof that “poor Tonio” is fighting for the Cav.

In the party where the majority is now “ronzulliana”, close to Licia Ronzulli, there is talk of the need to “support” the coordinator Tajani who accumulates two other positions (minister, deputy prime minister). We would slowly arrive at a directory for geographical areas made up of Ronzulli, in the north, Tajani for the centre, Occhiuto for the south and Giorgio Mulé for the islands. What’s the fault of poor Tonio if his destiny is to stay in the middle? At the Farnesina, when he takes his leave, he starts a tic and salutes: “Aaaa-ttenti!”. At Palazzo Chigi, where he has his offices as deputy premier, he called the very likeable Sestino Giacomoni, the former footballer Beppe Incocciati, former star of Fiuggi football, the former commander of the GdF, Giorgio Toschi, and Pupi Avati (free of charge). It is the Tajani football club, the national team of the excluded.

His advisers were Emily Rini, coordinator of FI in Valle d’Aosta, Carmine De Angelis, mayor of Chiusano di San Domenico (2,082 inhabitants in the province of Avellino) and the former deputy, not re-elected, Maria Spena. How can the Meloni government still be accused of not carrying out rescues at sea? The “poor Tonio” is a servant of the country and the “nuncio” of three “leaders”. Sergio Mattarella supports him in his incessant diplomatic “suture” operation with Macron. Meloni would leave him the keys to Chigi. Berlusconi whenever he has to send a message to Meloni he calls Tajani: “Let … know”. He, who knows about communications, was the newspaper’s political chief, called the former correspondent of the Republic, Vincenzo Nigro, to act as his spokesman and appointed Riccardo Guariglia as general secretary in place of Ettore Sequi.

The diplomat’s fatigue lives on his flesh. To serve Meloni is less loved by Berlusconi, but he will never leave Berlusconi. He’d rather go the way of the samurai. In the party, his dear comforts are Gianni Letta and Paolo Barelli, but the swimmer Barelli, perhaps sniffing the water, is no longer seen in the Chamber (he was a great motivator, he always greeted with “Aho! ‘I love won!’ I love won “). As often happens, see Fontana in Lombardy, figures like Tajani prove to be more long-lived, and decisive, than imagined.

It moves in concert with Claudio Descalzi, CEO of Eni, and it is Meloni’s passport to get to Manfred Weber and therefore to the popular ones in Europe, but it is above all the minister who appoints the ambassadors. He must soon replace Ambassador Giuseppe Buccino in Tripoli, who leaves him after eight years (he seems destined to occupy an important seat in the East). Another expiring is Andrea Romussi, ambassador in Burkina Faso, a crossroads country for regulating immigration. In Teheran, Giuseppe Perrone, who had previously managed the release of Alessia Piperno, takes his leave. Alberto Vecchi also moved to Somalia. And then there’s Fazzone! Seized by a sense of responsibility, tormented by gratitude, this is the drama of “poor Tonio”, the Christian who addresses himself every evening as follows: “Silvio, say just one word and I will be saved”.

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• Carmelo Caruso

• Carmelo Caruso, journalist in Palermo, Milan, Rome. He started at La Repubblica. Today he works at the Foglio