«Today it’s either closed or it’s useless to continue»- Corriere.it

After days of mutual attacks, it could be today’s summit between Charles Calenda And Matthew Renzi to define the future of the Third Pole: single party or each for himself. “This afternoon will be the last meeting,” he said this morning to Agora on Raitre Matthew Richetti, group leader of Azione-Italia viva in the Chamber, «either ends in a positive sense or it is useless to continue with this trickle. We are at a definitive point.” According to Richetti again: «Today I give it 50/50 the possibility of a single party. However, I am very worried about the climate that has developed around that table».

Yesterday, relations between Calenda and Renzi, who had agreed in the past to join forces but are now at odds, were further heated up by the issue of the Leopolda (kermesse of Italia viva) which Renzi would like to organize anyway, and the funds to be channeled into a single account for common expenses (Iv Bonifaci’s treasurer has been very critical in recent days). «With what money does Renzi make Leopolda?», Richetti wondered, «the Leopolda has always made itself, we were told, legitimate to do so. With what resources? We asked. “With those of Iv”. But Italia viva as Action will no longer be there. Who will do the Leopolda? Matthew Renzi? In my opinion he cannot then preside over Italia viva and direct a newspaper ». Hector Rosato, member of Action-Italia, consulted with Omnibus on La7, however, try to throw water on the fire: “Even if the tones are exaggerated, I think there is room for a recomposition in this afternoon’s meeting”.

That the climate remains tense was confirmed by Calenda himself via Twitter this morning: «These vulgarities of Renzi hide an exaggerated nervousness. Simply you tried to give us a rip off and you’ve been returned to sender. This time the “keep calm” didn’t work. End”. And then: «Yesterday Iv confirmed that he wanted to decide on the dissolution (with effect from 2024) only after knowing the winner of the congress and that he wanted to continue doing politics through Iv at least for the whole of 2024. The same on making concrete economic commitments vs the new party . We, on the other hand, were ready to make an immediate commitment to dissolution and to turn over all the resources to campaign for the European elections. We have made a commitment to the voters to make a single party, not an additional empty box. In the proposal presented there were (as in the first one) all the elements of democracy and contestability. Moreover, unlike Iv Action has made all the municipal, provincial, regional, national congresses. Finally, we demanded that there be a clause that resumed the European Parliament’s ethical one on conflicts of interest. That’s all. The rest are weapons of mass distraction.”

To which from the Renzian front the answer was: «Carlo, you’re lying: the dissolution occurs whoever wins the congress but after the secretary is elected, not before. Italia viva ends its political activity in October 2023. The resources of 2024 will obviously go to the European ones and will be managed by the single party. But what’s the point of making a controversy about money and not about ideals? In each party whoever wins the congress manages the treasury, obvious, right? Finally, we are in favor of the ethical clause. Where is the problem? You are arguing for no reason. Should we continue to do this necessary discussion on the merits of the choices to be made on social media or can we do it in meetings?

Renzi then added: «In these hours there are controversies unexplained within the Third Pole. I am very sorry about it also because I don’t see a political reason for breaking up. I would avoid pursuing controversies and background stories. I would go to the point. Yesterday Action presented a document, which is fine with us with absolutely acceptable minor changes. We have published them: the old parties dissolve with the election of the national secretary of the single party. If Calenda agrees, we sign. If Calenda has changed her mind, we respect and acknowledge that. As for Leopolda: anyone who knows that experience knows that it is a beautiful moment of political confrontation between different generations and histories. It is a moment in which many people are approaching politics. To say that the Leopolda can no longer be made makes no sense. We’ve been doing it with thousands of volunteers since 2010, I don’t see why we should stop doing it today at a time when politics must be defended against populism and sovereignty. Mine is a final appeal: no more controversy, let’s all get back to work together. We are here, aware of the responsibility towards so many people who ask us to go back to dreaming, not to fly low to the ground”.