La Russa’s ‘Ventaglio’: warnings for Vannacci and no taboos regarding the Colle

Ignazio La Russa is enjoying himself as President of the Senate, proudly aligning himself with Meloni’s camp (“I am also a member of parliament belonging to the Fratelli d’Italia group”, he says as he opens his fourth Ventaglio ceremony, which “who knows if it will be the last”). He enjoys being himself and answering questions “pleasantly”, he says, leaping onto the footboard of the lectern, and also “shedding his institutional role” without “being accused of stepping out of line” by those who would like to put his jacket back on him when he speaks of internal disagreements within his majority. And so he launches into it: Tajani or Vannacci? “The usual old story! But I won’t bring Tajani down, and Vannacci had better be careful about claiming he’s the true right-winger. I’d win hands down, but in any case there’s no point in it, and it’s bad luck to say so,” given the political fate of those who have said it in the past.

And so La Russa – with a cat-like smile – lists the names of those who have got their fingers burnt: Pino Rauti, Francesco Storace and “the various followers”, from Casa Pound downwards. Not only that: “Failing to understand that the offence of ‘femicide’ is necessary is not a right-wing stance”. Vannacci has been warned twice over. The President of the Senate, on the other hand, is happy to take on the role of “mediator” – a mediator regardless of the issue and with regard to the electoral law due to reach the Senate in early September (with a compromise reached on preferential voting). But as for mediation over the name of the candidate for mayor of Milan, La Russa says that’s now over: he gave it his all right to the very end. He brought all the potential candidates together in one room, including Maurizio Lupi, his favourite choice, and warned them: ‘It will be up to others to choose, but promise me that you’ll all support the chosen one.’)

And what about the ‘Safe’ that’s causing such a stir on both the right and the left? “Standard procedure”. And the Colle? La Russa explodes and thunders: “Taboo?!? But why should it be taboo for a member of the right to be elected President of the Republic? The right respects the Constitution”. He then moves on to Rai, as he hopes for yet another round of mediation over the presidency, and to football (well done to Mancini and Ranieri) and to Roggero: “As a lawyer, I say that the offence of culpable excess in self-defence should be amended”. While he’s at it, the country’s second-highest-ranking official doesn’t even want to give up his role as an Inter fan: the rather un-institutional Nerazzurri shirt remains in a display case in his office, alongside the very institutional fans.