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Days ago I called a well-known television personality to ask how he would vote in the constitutional referendum. “I will definitely vote No to defend the role of Parliament and the reputation of politics,” were his words. I had no doubts. I asked him if he could get a newspaper to call him for an interview. “Let me think about it,” he replied. I get it. I asked him to call him anyway, he refused. The character in question has a successful life behind him, has passed the age of eighty, undoubtedly understands the value of representative democracy and considers politics a serious matter. However, he didn’t feel like exposing himself. He is not afraid of the truncheon (times are not anymore), he is afraid of being excluded from the Rai grillina and lynched on social networks by conformists and by the Casaleggio Associati bots. It’s not the only one.
It is not the only one, just as the complacency of those who privilege good relations with the government is not the only reason that discourages various exponents of the so-called civil society to expose themselves in favor of No. There are two other deterrents that have never been seen . seen before in the entire history of the Italian referendum. The first is the fear of unpopularity. After thirty years of anti-caste rhetoric, there is a strong risk of being accused of upholding privilege rather than, in fact, principle. The second element is linked to the first: the same fear has led almost all the major parties to take sides for the Yes or to withdraw, so that whoever disagrees with power in office today will not satisfy those who will come to power tomorrow.
Therefore, it is three times sensational to observe that, despite everything, the front of the No to the referendum is gathering many, but many more public supporters of individual personalities and of the more disparate organizations than the front of the Yes. More of conformism and personal convenience could be the value of what is at stake: democracy.
Also for this #IoVotoNo.
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