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Last spring, when European governments plunged into a dispute over a plan to help the economies hardest hit by the pandemic, Salvini called the EU a “nest of snakes and jackals.”
But less than a year later, the leader of the League has already pledged the party’s support for the new government, which was entrusted to one of Italy’s most enthusiastic Europhiles, the former president of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi.
The latter agreed to try to convene a new national unity cabinet to lift the country out of the pandemic crisis. Before that, the center-left coalition collapsed.
It is said to be pragmatic
Salvini has always come off as a stubborn Eurosceptic for many years. He attacked the EU’s fiscal discipline rules, threatening Italy with leaving the eurozone if it won the elections.
The 2019 League campaign before the European elections was decorated with the following anti-European and anti-immigration slogan: “Stop for the bankers, stop for the bureaucrats, stop for the benefactors, stop for the ships.”
Salvini: Right, Left, Europhiles, Nationalists are just labels. I am a very pragmatic person.
Draghi himself has once been described by the populist as the “perpetrator of the massacre” of the Italian economy, although the entire continent praised the then president of the ECB for saving the single currency.
„Scanpix“ / „SIPA“ nuotr./Mario Draghi
But this week, Salvini has fundamentally changed his rhetoric and confirmed his intention to work with the League to support Draghi and his plans to further integrate the EU economy.
“Right, left, Europhiles, Nationalists are just labels. I am a very pragmatic person,” said the politician.
It does not hide the fact that pragmatism in this case has to do with the desire to influence decisions on how to spend 209 billion euros in Italy. that the country will receive in the form of grants and loans from the Community Recovery Fund.
„Scanpix“ / „SIPA“ nuotr./Matteo Salvini
“I look forward to participating in the talks, during which we will decide how the funds will be spent, for better or for worse,” Salvini said last week after speaking with Draghi.
It feels like punishing the voters
The representatives of the League assure that the party has decided to do so in the name of national interests. Jacopo Morrone MEP, for example, said that Salvini had “made a bold and important decision that responsibly takes into account the country’s economic difficulties.”
Observers, however, are more inclined to speak of cold-blooded political calculations than of a sudden withdrawal from long-standing positions.
Yes, if Draghi cannot form a government, the Salvini-led alliance is likely to come to power after the new elections. But League analysts have no reason to believe voters wouldn’t like state paralysis at such an important time.
Reviewers are more likely to speak of cold-blooded political calculations than of a sudden withdrawal from long-standing positions.
And now, with the decision to support Drraghi and support the new government while he is already working, the League’s ratings have even risen.
It seems that this move by M. Salvini shows that the party is determined to a longer political game: to move from the usual rhetoric of the extreme right to more moderate speeches.
Although due to the populist storm of M. Salvini, during the aforementioned 2019 elections, the League was supported by up to 34 percent. voters, many Italians don’t trust the party because its leaders like controversial politicians like Donald Trump or Victor Orban.
Swimmer “Scanpix” / Matteo Salvini
By the way, Mr. Salvini struggled initially, not knowing whether to allow himself to speak to Mr. Draghi. However, the moderate wing of the League, especially its deputy Giancarlo Giorgetti, saw an opportunity to shake off the toxic image and demonstrate that the party can be mature and effectively manage the state.
Of course, the positions of business leaders in northern Italy, where the League is popular, must also be taken into account. And entrepreneurs are seeing billions in the Recovery Fund.
M.Draghi effect
Of course, the personality of M. Draghi and his status also helped decide. As soon as he was asked to form a government, the stock index immediately skyrocketed and borrowing costs fell.
Not surprisingly, Mr. Draghi is impartial: it would be difficult for any Italian party to find a better candidate to bring the country out of the crisis. After all, the economy contracted by as much as 9 percent last year.
„Scanpix“ / „SIPA“ nuotr./Mario Draghi
“Draghi is considered the most powerful weapon in Italy, the Everest of Excellence. It is more damaging to the party than appearing inconsistent in the eyes of the electorate,” said Pierluigi Testa, an analyst at Trinita dei Monti.
“I am in favor of national sovereignty, and when I saw this opportunity, I immediately said that it was the best opportunity to align myself with national sovereignty,” said Claudior Borghi, Salvini’s economic adviser.
It is true that some really radical supporters of the League may be disappointed; After all, M. Draghi keeps repeating that his goal is to accelerate the integration of the EU economy, pay more attention to centralized EU budgets and collect taxes.
In other words, these ideas are at odds with national sovereignty. But the League has so far announced its faith in Draghi, who assures that no unpopular reforms will be undertaken. Furthermore, the party explains that it is not the League that is approaching Europe, but that Europe is approaching the League.
“It is silly to say that we are anti-European because we have said that some of the rules are wrong. We have not changed here, Europe has become closer to our ideas,” said Marco Zanni, the party’s representative in the European Parliament.
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