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“This time”, however, something could change. Or rather, come back. Many are convinced of it. And above all he is convinced of it, Raffaele Fitto, the enfant prodige of the Christian Democrats, regional councilor 20 years after his father Salvatore, president of the Region, died in a car accident on the way home.
Fitto jr assumed the Presidency of the Region at the age of 31 and, after the unpredictable defeat to Nichi Vendola in 2005, he was first a “prosthesis” of Berlusconi (minister from 2008 to 2011), then a European parliamentarian taking a leap from Moro to Giorgia Meloni, from the illustrated Christian Democracy to Viktor Orbân. His candidacy for governor was desired and imposed by Meloni after many stomach pains, especially from the Lega, which had launched a public offer to acquire Puglia.
Regional in Puglia, center left in the balance after 15 years. Emiliano against Fitto and friendly fire
It is no coincidence that, only today, after two months of the electoral campaign, Matteo Salvini, who has also been here at least fifteen times, takes the stage for the first time together with Fitto, and Giorgia Meloni. Confirming how crucial the right considers the victory of Apulia. In fact, they say: if Puglia is taken, the government falls. And again: it is the Ohio of Italy. These are not random words: Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is from Puglia. And he had made an investment in his region, including in image. It is no coincidence that until the last minute he also publicly tried to close an agreement between the center-left and 5 Stars, but he took a door in the face of the grillini.
“It is an opportunity, an important occasion” reasons the parliamentarian of Forza Italia, Francesco Paolo Sisto, who is Fitto’s lawyer (Fitto had a long legal misfortune, when he was president, which ended partly in prescription and partly in acquittals, in part still before the civil judge) and friend, although Sixto did not want to follow him or his political ramblings, he remained faithful to the Knight. “They say that Fitto was not the best candidate. And they are wrong: Michele Emiliano is an animal, give me the deadline, the consent, an electoral machine. We needed someone who could play at that level too, unmasking everything bad, a lot. , it has been made to Puglia in these fifteen years, gathering consensus. “Translated: Emiliano moves the camel troops. We need someone to do the same. Fitto, an old Christian democrat, is the only one capable of doing it.
Nichi Vendola: “Raffaele Fitto is a viceroy with no idea of the future. The law in Puglia? Prehistory”
He tells whoever is filming with him in recent weeks that he has a kind of file in his brain: in all the municipalities where they go, from Bovino to Spinazzola, from Torricella to Depressa, Raffaele Fitto knows the name and surname of a carrier of votes. The proper first and last name to call. “It is not difficult to find open doors,” say his parents, strong in the fact that Emiliano is divisive, there are those who love him and those who hate him, and then power wears off. Fitto knows very well that, in this electoral campaign, he had to review the photographs from 15 years ago when he was forced to flee from citizens (in Terlizzi) for example, who were protesting because he had closed more than 20 hospitals. He had done it shortly before the electoral campaign, without too many calculations, convinced that no one could ever beat him in black Puglia. But he had miscalculated, without imagining the Vendola variable.
His relatives say that over the years, however, he has changed, “in character”, to quote Checco Zalone who perhaps gave him one of the most sensational performances: Fitto, a nerdy and unpleasant boy who mentions paragraph and reads by heart, but always in check. by mamma Leda. If matriarchy is a common condition (Vendola, Emiliano, in recent years there has been space and meaning for everyone’s mothers), the “unpleasant” Fitto is a narrative (“it is no longer current” I swear by those close to it) that he created many problems for him: his (former) friends hated him more than his enemies. Vice-president, chosen by the League, will have to be, if the center-right wins, for example Nuccio Altieri, former Forza Italia MP: Fitto witnessed his wedding, then Altieri left with the League and relations between the two have been reduced to the minimum conditions.
Returning to Zalone, Fitto has not lost the nerd quality. Yesterday in Puglia Minister Roberto Speranza came to announce that Puglia, after 15 years, had left the health reimbursement plan, and Fitto jumped on his chair: “Where is the disposition of the Council of Ministers? And that of the Ministry of the ‘ Economy?”. The mayor of Bari, Antonio Decaro, in the field to help Michele Emiliano, said: “There is a difference between them and us.”
Playing now ….
Looking at Fitto’s electoral campaign, it looks like this: he has recovered many of the exiles of recent years in the center-left, political vagabonds in search of power but with an important portfolio of votes in their pockets. He has put an important part of the world of agriculture and entrepreneurship on his side.
An unavoidable choice: if the Apulia of Vendola (especially) and Emiliano used words such as environment, recovery, if he spoke of culture, Fitto’s looks to industry. In this electoral campaign he is beating business from Foggia to Lecce palm by palm, putting aside the associations (he was in Bari, in Arcigay, but he did not want to sign a series of commitments, the only candidate for the presidency). In Polignano, together with Meloni, he also ended up in that (a fruit and vegetable factory) which would later become the largest coronavirus outbreak in Apulia, fortunately without too many consequences.
Outbreak of Polignano, Fitto and Meloni on tour in the contagion factory without a mask
In the field, as candidates, he called old companions of adventure (Azzollini, Loperfido) or his children (Franzoso, Bellomo). He is running half an election campaign on the “Apulian agriculture disasters”, in particular for the non-containment of Xylella and for not being able to spend the PDR funds, but he has appointed the former regional councilor of Emiliano, Leo di de Foggia. Gioia, and the commissioner chosen by the Renzi government to counter Xylella’s advance, General Silletti.
Calenda said she prefers him to Emiliano. Renzi not explicitly but, according to the latest polls, Scalfarotto’s candidacy would be decisive for the victory of the center-right in Puglia, thanks to those two percentage points. By the way: before Covid, Puglia was not even in doubt. He was center-right. After the lockdown, the polls speak of a heads-up, with Fitto leading the way for some, at a disadvantage for others. “We will play for a few votes, there are many undecided”, say the pollsters but in Fitto’s headquarters (as well as in Emiliano’s) they are sure to win.
Variables.
Covid, first of all: Fitto knows it, and it is no coincidence that he has chosen as his main objective Professor Pierluigi Lopalco, the epidemiologist chosen by Emiliano to manage the emergency, and who is now a candidate on a center-left civic list with the investiture Minister of Health.
Participation: Emiliano has solid lists, very strong, perhaps stronger. If turnout is low, candidates will be rewarded on a national opinion vote more favorable to the center-right. In short, few voters are bad news for Fitto.
The divided vote: in these hours the center-left leaders cry out, speaking with the voters of Grillini and Italia viva. In the center-right they don’t believe in that. “It is too conscious a vote to have important dimensions,” they say. And then they trust Fitto and his consent agenda. “If we don’t win this time, we will never win again.”
